Claws
by Alex McM
Summary: Sven is a lazy detective with borderline insomnia. Eve is a bright young girl. A series of brutal murders brings them together and what follows is a harrowing tale of violence and loss. Can Sven end the bloodshed before its too late? Reader beware...
1. Chapter 1

**Claws**

Welcome fans and new readers! I'm excited to write another crime story, they are strangely addictive and after reading a few recently, I was reminded of their greatness. The Bleach cast have done enough police work so now its Black Cat characters. As this is in the vein of 'Clown' you should be warned: This story contains excessive violence and gore. Enjoy!

_One_

Sven Volfied woke up with a start. His phone was going off like his ex-wife. With an irate groan he rose from his slumber and leaned across the mattress to pick up the cordless phone. He pressed the answer button and waited for the obligatory greeting of the caller.

None came, rather an angry rant from the chief.

"Sven! Where are you?"

"I was asleep sir. Unlike you I'm not immune to fatigue." Sven joked.

"Cut the shit Volfied! We've got trouble!" The Chief never really liked joking around on the job. It ticked him off; maybe that was why Sven always opened with a joke.

Sven sighed. Trouble could only mean one thing. "Another body?"

"Yes! Get your ass down to Clearview Avenue and do your job!" The Chief hung up.

Sven was still awaiting his greeting but decided to clear that thought from his head. He had work to do which meant his lazy, half-hearted work ethic would have to be knocked up a notch for the day. Homicide was always a tough job. Aside from having to stomach some of the cruellest of executions there was the unsolved cases that nagged at your mind every day. Then there was the clean-up. No matter what anyone says, scrubbing guts off a tarmac road is even worse than it sounds.

Even though it was a slow depressing ride into insanity, Sven wouldn't change it for anything in the world...Well almost anything. Winning the lottery, retiring and sleeping day in and day out with a beautiful woman on each arm...That was heaven.

There was no time for breakfast. One of the definite downsides of the job. He could wake up in the middle of the night and investigate a crime scene, but missing his early morning bacon and eggs...It was heresy!

He stumbled over to a closet and took out a white suit with matching pants. Next he put on his eye patch. When he was fully dressed he went to the front door, his silver briefcase already there. A white had rested on a rack by the door and he snatched it up while heading out.

The car was unlocked. The locks were busted a few weeks ago but he had never bothered to get it fixed. Sven sank into the driver's seat, sighing contentedly as he found the right spot. He pressed down on the accelerator pedal and frowned when the car didn't move. At first he thought there was no gas, but he soon caught out the fact he had never started up the engine.

"Dammit! This is what happens when I don't get enough sleep." He murmured to himself. After a self applied slap to the face he started the car up properly. The loud rumble of the engine woke him up and he rolled down the road. On the way to the crime scene he drove past a diner, his stomach rumbling as if on cue.

He found the spot easily. The marked cars formed a road block and there were a dozen or so people standing around outside an alley.

Sven parked on the side of the road and stepped out. The bright morning sun almost blinded him so he tipped his hat to cover his eyes and then approached the officers.

A man with straight brown hair greeted him. "Hey Sven, sleep well?"

Sven rubbed the dark bags under his eyes. "You already know the answer Jenos." After another drawn out sigh he got into the work mood and extended a hand, waiting for a report or a high five, whichever they had.

Jenos handed a stack of papers to his partner. "We found an ID in her wallet. Name is Alicia Callister. Lives downtown, worked at the take-away pizza shop just a block away. She's only 17."

Sven nodded. "Right, so there's a girl. Why did you call me?"

"Well, she's been murdered of course." Jenos replied.

Sven smiled grimly. "I had a hunch. Alright let's take a look." He flipped through the series of photographs taken of the corpse. He couldn't help but wince at some of the injuries.

"She was walking home from work. Called her mother only a few minutes after her shift. She never came home or answered her phone. A patrol went out and we found here lying in the alley. It's a nasty piece of work this time."

"Tell me about it." Sven concurred. "This guy really doesn't like pizza."

Jenos scowled. "Now isn't the time for jokes Sven. Some poor girl got killed by a vicious psychopath."

"How can you be sure it was a psychopath?" Sven queried.

"Well..." Jenos began. "The injuries. They are tell-tale signs of a grade A nut-job."

"True, but maybe someone want's us to think that. Maybe this guy is smart."

"If he's that manipulative then he's still a psychopath!" Jenos snapped.

Sven ignored his partner and went off on his own course. "I want to see the body. Tell forensics to step aside for a sec." He ducked under the yellow tape and passed around a corner to where three men were squatting over the corpse. They stepped aside when Sven approached and watched him as he bent down to study the body.

Sven ran a gloved finger down the girl's throat which was bruised. Black and blue markings wrapped around her pale neck. "She was strangled, bare handed from the looks of it."

"Yes, though that did not kill her. She was savagely beaten. The extent of the injuries suggests that she was bludgeoned to death. The strangulation occurred either before or after she was dead."

"Well, somebody has a nasty little habit. You said she was beaten, any idea what was used?"

"No. All we know is that a heavy object shattered her cranium and caused the back of her head to cave in. There is severe damage to her brain, the most likely cause of death." the forensic read aloud from a note pad.

Sven stared at the impact site. Something heavy had hit pretty damn hard to crack her skull and go through to crush her brain. Brain matter had spilled out through the ragged hole. His eyes then followed along down to her naked torso. An incision was made below her sternum and ran down to her pelvic region. Her innards were on clear display. Sven stared into the hole and frowned.

"The heart...I think it's missing."

The nearest forensic took a closer look and nodded to the others. "He's right."

The lead forensic chuckled. "Sorry we missed that. We've only just started so we haven't checked out everything yet."

"No problem." Sven murmured. "Rolled her over yet?"

"No."

"Tell me when you do. There's something suspicious about this. The killer stole the heart...It must be symbolic to him. Excuse me." Sven returned to Jenos' side. "Hey, did this girl have any boyfriends recently?"

Jenos looked down at a profile. "Not that we know of. We'll be interviewing the parents soon, I'll ask then."

"Great. It turns out her heart was removed. This means there is something to do with hearts. I'm guessing it's a jealous ex-boyfriend who's out for revenge. Still...How could a kid pull off such a clean incision? It was almost as if a doctor had taken out the heart and then someone else did the rest..."

"You think there were two killers?"

"Maybe. If someone was so skilled with a knife then why would they do something so messy like bash her head in? It makes no sense." Sven scratched his chin. "Well, I've done what I could. I've got some sleep to catch up on."

"What?" Jenos gasped. "You just got a close up look of a dead body and you still want to go to sleep? What is wrong with you?"

"I'm a cop. Surely you've crossed that line where every dead body looks the same. I've been in this job long enough to be desensitized to the worst..." Sven bowed his head. "You're lucky. You got to keep your humanity."

Jenos frowned. "Hey, I didn't mean to upset you-"

Sven raised a hand and walked off to his car. "If anything interesting turns up don't call me for about six hours." With that he hopped into his small compact and drove off.

* * *

The phone rang. Sven dragged himself over to the phone and inadvertently read the time on his digital alarm clock. He had only been asleep for three hours.

"Dammit!" He picked up the phone and snarled. "This better be good!"

Jenos' sarcasm dripped through the receiver. "We're in homicide. When is anything ever _good_?"

"True, just hurry up and spill it!"

"Somebody needs their juice." Jenos commented wryly.

"You're one wrong move away from having your ass kicked! What's the situation, or did you just call me just to get a laugh?"

"Fine." Jenos' tone was ice cold. It was such a drastic change that Sven's heart stopped before he even knew the problem. "The forensics have taken the body to the morgue. They've discovered something you need to see. I've already sent you the photos."

Sven put the phone down and brought his laptop over to the bedside table. While it loaded up Sven took the liberty to investigate. "So, any word about the boyfriend yet?"

Jenos sighed. "The mother wouldn't stop crying. We couldn't get her to say anything. We gave up pretty quick. We'll try again later. So anyway, have you got the photos yet?"

Sven hummed as he clicked away at the touch pad. He stabbed his password into the computer and brought up the files. They were pictures of the body. One was just a picture of her from the front. It showed nothing new, but the picture of her back...

"I see." Sven said coldly. "It's a message."

"My heart is broken, so I shall take another." Jenos read aloud. "You know what that means. You were right about the ex-boyfriend. He's definitely involved in this."

"But what about the incisions? They were too precise for some wild teen. I'm not entirely sold on this one..." Sven studied the message, ignoring the words but rather observing the skill in the carvings. Each character had been expertly carved into the girl's back, no blood or mess.

"Maybe he had help?" Jenos suggested. "It could have been a gang."

Sven thought silently for a moment. "As of now, the ex is certainly a suspect. But there is more to this than just a love-lost young boy. We should find the kid and bring him in for questioning. He may just slip up and reveal who helped him."

"Right! I'll check through the records. Oh and Sven?"

"Yeah?"

"Sleep well!" Jenos hung up.

Sven chuckled lightly as he put the phone down. "That son of a bitch. If he wasn't my friend..." Rather than dwell on the thought, Sven relapsed back into his much needed slumber.

Please review, your comments are what drives me to write more.


	2. Chapter 2

_Two_

Monday began with a crow's rasping cry to the morning sun. Sven had no choice but to wake up. He checked the digital clock and cursed. Once again he had only caught a brief couple of hour's shut-eye.

He knew it would be wise to see a doctor about his insomnia but all the time wasted with doctors could be spent lying in bed, trying as hard as possible to drift off into a decent nights sleep.

It was too early to go to work but too late to revert back into blissful slumber. Sven opened the window and yelled at the crow, taking his stress out on the feathered fiend. When the unusual therapy session was over he descended the stairs to the kitchen.

It had been decided. If he couldn't have his rest, he would at least have breakfast. The bacon and eggs he was fantasizing about yesterday were what he made. While in the middle of watching the bacon sizzle in the pan, the phone rang.

Sven picked it up on the third ring and yawned.

"Sven, I'm sure I didn't wake you." It was Jenos.

"No, the birds beat you to that one today. So what are you doing up at this ungodly hour?"

"It's that killer."

"It's not that scary. Don't be losing your precious sleep over it."

"Sven...They found another body!" Jenos' voice took on that unnerving edge again. It was the way he spoke when something terrible had happened.

"Another one? So soon? Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. The wounds are a bit different but it has the same...Motifs." Jenos paused. "Is that a smoke detector I hear?"

Sven suddenly noticed the high pitched droning and dropped the phone. His beloved breakfast was burnt to a smouldering blackened crisp. He took a bite before returning to the phone. "Where are you?" Sven noted the address and got himself ready for another day's work.

* * *

The smell hit first. A strong pungent assault on the senses. It made Sven's eyes water. The fact that an open sewer was nearby was a likely culprit but there was something awfully 'organic' about this smell.

Sven weaved around the scattered bins and garbage bags. Rats scurried out of his path as he neared them. Eventually he found them. Jenos was leaning against a wall, one hand on the cold bricks, the other massaging his forehead. He looked pale.

"Mornings are bad enough without adding this to the mix." Sven muttered, announcing his arrival. Jenos looked up with bloodshot eyes.

"Sven, you made it."

"Of course I did. The sooner I catch this bastard the sooner I can have an uninterrupted morning!"

Jenos nodded and pointed to a door across from him. "In there. Be warned, it smells awful in there."

"Thanks for the heads up!" Sven wandered through the doorway. Cracked paint stained the broken door which barely hung by a single hinge. A trio of roaches scrambled away from the corpse and over to Sven who crushed them underfoot.

The body was sitting against a wall. Another young girl, once again naked. It did resemble the last victim in that respect, but the rest was very different. There were no clean incisions on this girl. Instead, horrific lacerations covered her torso. From a distance it looked as if she had been whipped or something, but as Sven came closer it became shockingly apparent that these wounds were scratches.

"It's as if she was mauled." Sven remarked. "What the hell happened here?"

"Becky Arden. Another local girl. She was an intern at the vet. Witnesses saw her chase a cat down this alleyway and then she disappeared." Jenos explained.

"Cat huh? It might have something to do with the scratches...?" Sven glance up at the girls face and shuddered. Her eyes were gouged out and deep scratches ran down her cheeks. "This sicko has to be stopped."

"You're telling me. We've already sent someone to question Alicia's parents. We've also dispatched someone to speak with Becky's parents."

"Roll her over." Sven whispered abruptly.

"Huh?"

"I said roll her over. If this is the same killer then there should be a message! Come on, give me a hand here." Sven took a firm hold of the dead girl's arms. They were freezing to touch but he ignored the hairs rising on the back of his neck and continued to roll the girl onto her side. Jenos helped him out and held her on her side while Sven took a peek at her other side. He immediately covered his mouth with his hands and backed away.

"Geez! This is fucking insane!"

"What is it?" Jenos inquired, his eyes narrowing.

"There's a message alright...It's fresh though. The blood is still running and..." Sven placed a finger on the bloody flesh of her back. "It's warm."

"What?" How can that be? The girl has been dead for hours! Her blood couldn't possibly-"

"The killer came back." Sven proposed. "He returned to the scene of the crime and carved the message into her back."

Jenos let the girl back down. "What did the message say?"

"Don't know. There was too much blood all over the place. The morticians will clean it up later. They can tell us. For now we have to try and find some leads."

"Sure. I'll call Jerry. See if Alicia's parents have revealed anything new." Jenos got to his feet and washed his removed his gloves before taking out his phone. He went into the other room to talk leaving Sven alone with the corpse.

Sven stared into the void sockets that once contained eyes...Now maggots feasted on the inside of her skull. "Who did this? Who could do such a thing to a young lady like you huh? I swear I'll find this sick son-of-a-bitch before anyone else dies!" Sven was about to go on with his conversation but he was interrupted by his phone ringing.

He picked up the small black mobile and pressed the answer button. "Hello?"

"Sven, it's the chief here! Where are you?"

"I'm at the Becky Arden scene. Why?"

"We've got an emergency call and all the other units are busy. I need you to go instead!" the chief roared into the phone just to emphasise the urgency. A jet engine would have been quieter...And probably wouldn't swear as much either.

"Sir, I'm not a patrolman I'm a-"

"I know this ain't your line of duty you moron! But everyone else is busy and you're the closest to the scene! Now get your ass over there before another girl dies!"

"What?" Sven nearly dropped the phone.

"Go! I'll explain later!"

"Yes sir!"

"Oh, and make sure you've got your gun on you. According to the girl, he's armed." The Chief gave details on the address and the hung up.

Sven raced to his car, barging Jenos out of the doorway and nearly knocking him flat on his ass. He ran through the mob of forensics and other officers and ran into his car. He fumbled for his keys and tried to fit them into the lock but it was taking too long.

When at long last he had the door unlocked he jumped into the driver's seat and stabbed the key into the ignition. The engine rumbled softly and then cut out. With a loud roar of frustration, Sven tried again, once more to no avail.

An officer approached him with a wry smile. "Troubles with the motor eh? Want me to take a look?"

Sven jumped out of the car and slammed the door. "Go for your life pal, now move!" Sven pushed past the surprised cop and bolted down the street. According to the chief the crime was only occurring three blocks away. Since it was an emergency, the car would've been better but it wasn't too far to run either.

Sven cursed as his calves began to burn. He pushed on, running full tilt. He was no pro athlete, but desperation could make a man do astonishing feats. Running three whole blocks in two minutes was one of them.

Sven arrived in the right street and glanced around at the house numbers. He spotted the right number and vaulted over a garden hedge to make it onto the front lawn. The front door was open just a crack and there were signs of forced entry, such as splits in the timber around the lock mechanism.

Sven reached for his gun, a stainless steel semi-automatic pistol. He glanced at his reflection in the shining weapon and then turned to the door. He kept the firearm pointed to the sky and held it close to his head. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

The front room was devoid of life. Sven cautiously stepped into the living room and found no signs of anyone being around. He heard a loud thump from the other room and his body tensed. He slid his body against the wall and crept towards the door. He twisted the doorknob ever so slightly and opened it without making a sound. He gazed into the next room and found it empty. Just to be safe he burst in and held his gun up, ready to shoot. An empty kitchen was all there was.

Sven headed to the next room which had a hallway leading upstairs. A flowing rug ran from the top of the stairs and down to the bottom. About halfway up it was messed up. Someone had used the stairs for sure.

Sven went up, walking on his toes, careful not to make any noise. By the time he reached the landing he could hear sobbing. His eyes narrowed at the sight of a man's shadow coming from the closest door. Sven sank back into the wall and hugged it, trying his hardest to stifle his heavy breathing.

The door creaked open and the man's footsteps on the hard-wood floor made loud screeching sounds like bats. Sven waited for a moment before following. The door was wide open and he could see the man bent over something. The sobbing was even louder now.

Sven gulped down on the air aimed the gun at the man's head. He came within a few steps of him when the sobbing stopped. The man noticed something was wrong and held up a large knife. He stared in the reflection and discovered the police officer standing right behind him. He laughed wickedly and drew the blade across his victim's throat. The blade severed her arteries and blood spurted out like a macabre fountain. She convulsed on the floor while the killer made a break for the window.

"Freeze!" Sven roared, but it was pointless. He had no choice. He had to fire. He pulled the trigger and jolted from the recoil. The killer flew out the window with a precise jump. Sven couldn't tell if the bullet had hit its mark or not but regardless he stepped over the woman and stared out the window. He saw no signs of the killer.

"H-H-Help me!" The woman rasped, blood bubbling up through her lips and dribbling down her chin. Sven knew he had to keep watch for the killer who was probably lying in wait. He tried to concentrate but the painful weeping put him off and he gave into his human side to check up on her.

She tried to speak but Sven silenced her. He found her tattered clothes littered around her and picked up a piece of her torn dress. He then scrunched it up and pressed it against the deep gash. It was soaked a sickening pink colour in a matter of seconds. The woman had long blonde hair and had sparkling blue eyes.

Sven looked around the room and noticed a smashed pair of glasses on the floor. He sighed and reached for his phone. "Hold this to your neck. Keep lots of pressure down on it okay. Keep breathing. I'll call an ambulance."

Sven dialled the number and waited for the response. "Yes, I need an ambulance immediately. I have a woman who has had her throat slashed. She's losing a lot of blood. I need help right now." He spoke calmly but in the back of his mind, a part of him just wanted to scream.

After an irritatingly drawn out conversation Sven hung up and returned to the woman's side. "Alright, help is on its way. I just need you to keep holding that down. Now do you have a first aid kit?" The woman nodded slightly. "Okay good. Where is it?"

"T-Third door...Left." She stammered.

Sven ran out into the hall and went into the bathroom. He yanked open the cupboards and drawers and filed through everything until he found a small box with a red cross on it. He ran back to the woman who was convulsing again. He tried to hold her down but in her struggle she let go of the cloth and blood spurted out again. Sven cursed and used his bare hands to cover the gaping wound. The woman relaxed and lay back.

Sven realised the blood was no longer coming out at such a high pressure. He slowly pried his hands away and realized it was now only a soft, slow flow. He placed two fingers against her neck and felt for a pulse, only to find none.

"Oh god no! Please! Stay with me! Don't go dammit! Hold on!" Sven tried to resuscitate her but it was no use. She had left this world.

Defeated, he slumped back and gazed solemnly at the woman. She could have been his link to catching the murderer...If only she had held on...

He had come so close...He could have blown the freak's brains out if only he had pulled the trigger sooner. If he'd not wasted time he could have saved the woman and caught the sicko in one fell swoop. Instead, one bird was dead and the other dodged the stone and flew away...

Sven washed his hands and then called Jenos. "Sven? Where did you run off to?"

"I tried...I tried to save her..." Sven whispered.

"Huh? Save who?" Sven said nothing. "Sven? Hey buddy! Are you still there? What happened?"

"She's dead...I watched her die."

"You're not making any sense. What the hell did you do?"

"Nothing." Sven replied. He felt a tear roll down from his cheek and he wiped it away. "I'm at 112 Glaster Avenue. We have another victim."

"Seriously? Hey-" Sven hung up and put his phone away. He staggered down the stairs and made his way to the front door. He gripped the handle and sighed deeply. Bad days were common, but this one took the prize. All he wanted to do was have an early day. Go home, rest and try to forget what happened.

He twisted the handle and wrenched the door open only to find a young girl standing on the doorstep. He glanced down at her and frowned. She was dressed up like a little Gothic-Lolita and had flowing blonde hair.

"Sorry sweet-heart, I don't want any cookies." Sven said, his voice rigid.

"Cookies?" The girl cocked her head to one side and then stared Sven up and down, taking note of the curious red stains all over his suit. "Mister...Why were you in my house?"

Review. Do it! Your praise inspires me to write better so it's win-win! 


	3. Chapter 3

_Three_

Sven's heart sank. The innocent question had struck him harder than anything he could possibly imagine.

_This girl...Her mother is..._

Sven blocked the doorway and stared down at the young thing standing before him. She stared back with big round eyes that were a light shade of red. It had to be contacts, but still there have been some weird shit happening around the world in the past...Maybe it was a medical condition...

"Excuse me sir?"

Sven blinked and realised he had just lost himself in his thoughts. The girl was still expecting an answer. He stammered awkwardly as he tried to come up with an excuse. "Well...The thing is...Your mother is d-" He caught himself before he uttered the fated words. He bit his tongue and tried again. "Your mother is...Out." He choked on the last word and made an odd croaking noise.

"Out?" The girl echoed him.

"Yes!" Sven blurted out far too loudly. "She is...At the mall!"

"Why? She said she would be at home..." The girl bowed her head. "She was going to take me to see her lab."

"Lab?" Sven was suddenly intrigued.

The girl nodded. "She works at a lab. She's a scientist."

Sven grasped his chin. "What does your mother research?"

"She was working on something called nano-" She stopped and seemed to become confused. She tried to recall the word and eventually whispered. "Nanotechnology."

"What is that?" Sven pressed.

"She uses tiny robots to enhance living things." The little girl explained as if was really simple. Sven took a mental note of the term and then focused on the unfortunate girl.

"So...You mother will be gone for a while. Where is your father?"

"I'm not allowed to see my father." She murmured mournfully.

"Why not?" The girl glanced up and her eyes were glistening with tears. "Oh no don't cry!" Sven reached out to her but she giggled softly and wiped her eyes clear with the back of her sleeve.

"Sorry. I sometimes get like that. My dad...He used to hurt me."

Sven's jaw dropped. For someone to harm such a sweet young girl was truly evil. Her father must be a total monster. "I'm sorry to hear that...Where is your father right now?"

The girl looked down at her feet. "He's overseas. He makes guns and weapons for armies around the world."

_An arms dealer! Geez, this just gets weirder by the second._

"So...You have nowhere to stay? No other relatives?" Sven reached for the light glimmer of hope.

"No." The girl answered sadly.

Sven felt the light fade. He felt absolutely gutted now. This girl's only family was her mother. With her dead she has nothing. She would have to be sent to an orphanage. Such a fate shouldn't befall an innocent young girl...He had to do something.

"Can I go inside?" The girl asked suddenly.

Sven panicked and used his body to block the way in. "No! You can't go in!"

"Why? Did something happen?"

"No! Nothing happened! It's just that...Uh...The house is getting fumigated." The girl blinked at him. "You see, we're spraying for pests and it's not safe to go inside."

"But you were just inside the house and you aren't sick." The girl was smart.

"Um...I only just started spraying so the effects weren't going to work on me, but by now it will have spread around the house so...It's not safe." Sven chuckled nervously. He was afraid the girl would be suspicious and find out the truth.

"Mister?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you lying?"

Sven's eyes widened. His reaction was easily the last nail in the coffin. "W-what makes you think I'm lying?"

The girl pointed to his face. "You are uncomfortable. That means you are hiding something."

_Dammit! She's too clever! I need to get her away from here!_

"Look um...I'm sorry, what was your name?"

"Eve."

"Eve huh? That's a nice name. Anyway Eve, we shouldn't be standing around all day. I bet you're hungry! How about we get something to eat?" Sven offered a hand but the girl backed away.

"My Mum always told me to be wary of strangers."

"Don't worry. You can trust me, I'm a police officer." Sven suddenly realised his mistake and froze up.

"Police? Why were you in my house? Did something happen?"

"No sweetie! Nothing hap-" Sven was cut off by the sound of blaring sirens. He peered over Eve's shoulders and noticed the oncoming convoy of marked cars. This was bad. He had to get her out of here and fast!

"Come on!" Sven grabbed her hand and tried to drag her away but it was too late. The squad cars were already parking on the front lawn and an ambulance parked beside them. Forensics and officers charged out of their cars and lined up on the front lawn. Jenos headed the pack and approached his partner.

"Sven, we got here as soon as we could. Where is the body?"

"Body? Eve echoed.

Sven cried out in alarm and pushed Jenos aside. "Why did you say that? The daughter is right next to me you stupid twit!"

"Daughter? Where?" Jenos looked around.

"Right behind me you fool!"

Jenos took a peek and shook his head. "There is no-one there."

"Well then look harder you-" Sven froze. "Oh shit!" Without a word he bolted inside. "Eve? Eve?"

The blood-curdling scream chilled him to the bone. He shuddered and leapt up the stairs three at a time. He found her standing in the doorway, hands over her mouth, knees trembling. She backed away and Sven caught her, making her cry out in alarm.

"Shh, it's just me."

"M-m-mum...Why?" Eve's legs gave way and she fell to the floor. Sven leaned over and closed the door.

"I didn't want you to see...That's why I lied. I'm so sorry."

"Thank you..." The girl whispered between sobs. "You...You cared..."

Sven sat down beside her. "You know...I tried so hard to save her but...I couldn't do it..."

Eve glanced at him and smiled weakly. "Thank you."

"Don't say that. I failed. I completely screwed up. I couldn't even stop the killer! I'm...I'm a disgrace." The disgruntled investigator rose to his feet and glared at the forensics who rushed up the stairs to meet him. With a nod of his head he gestured to the closed door. "Do as you wish. I'm taking a half day..." He approached the landing when he felt his sleeve get caught. He cursed and spun around only to face the girl.

"What do I do?" She asked innocently. The question tore Sven apart inside and he had to fight back tears. This was a nightmare he just couldn't wake up from. It should have been funny that for once he was trying to wake up but...It just wasn't the time.

"I don't know kid. I have a friend. He'll call your father, see if he'll take care of you-"

"No." Eve snapped. "I hate him! I won't go back!"

"Well..." Sven searched for the right words. "If you won't live with him then you'll have to go to an orphanage. I'm sorry." Sven patted her head and walked off, his heart felt like it was getting force-fed through a shredder and the resulting scraps were getting burned to a crisp. He'd never felt worse. The heartache was agonising.

In all his years of service he had thought he was desensitized to death. It had become as natural to him as eating and sleeping, but seeing that woman...Her eyes wide with terror, the pain lurking within those round orbs...Seeing the resulting corpse was the norm, but witnessing the murder itself was something else entirely. It was horrific.

Horror movies didn't even come close. The shivers you get while watching a good thriller is only a minute taste of the real paralysing fear of the real thing.

Sven tried to shake it from his thoughts and drifted silently to a marked car. He slumped into the driver's seat and waited for Jenos to duck in by obligation.

"Sven, are you alright? You seem...Distracted?"

Sven closed his eyes and cradled his head in his hands. "I'm just tired, is all. Take me back to my car."

Jenos slid into the driver's seat and nodded. "Right. You sure you're just tired? If you're feeling stressed I can handle the workload for a few days. You can have a weeks break if you want-"

"Just please, take me to my car!" Sven growled.

Jenos knew better than to press on and he silently focused on the road. The drive was awkward but neither of them felt it suitable to break the code of silence. Jenos wanted answers but he knew he wouldn't get them. Sven was being tight-lipped in order to forget his ideal.

The squad car rolled to a stop and Sven stepped out without a parting word to his friend. He slammed the door behind him and trudged over to his compact little car. The engine was fixed, that officer had really worked on it...

Sven drove slowly through the streets, taking the longer route by the riverside. As he gazed into the glistening surface of the water he couldn't help but see the face of the young girl, Eve. He blinked several times and realised his tortured mind was playing tricks on him. He cursed and placed his full attention on the road ahead.

He became hypnotized by the soft hum of the engine as he made his way home. When he pulled up outside he turned into the driveway and almost ran into the garage door. He broke just in time and dragged himself to the front door.

He only made it five steps in the door when the phone rang. He cursed and threw his shoes at the cursed machine. He ignored the piercing screams and headed upstairs. He got out of his blood-spattered suit and went into the shower, still overhearing the whine of the telephone. Someone had been ringing non-stop three times in a row, waiting about t twelve rings before giving up, only to wait thirty seconds before calling again.

"Grr, shut up you idiot! Can't you tell I'm not here?" Sven shouted out to no-one at all. The angry outburst echoed around the small bathroom. In a vain attempt to soothe his jangled nerves he tried to sing a tune, but he couldn't remember enough of any one song to pull it off successfully.

When the hot water ran out he got dressed in a fresh suit and sank into the couch downstairs. He switched on the TV, hoping to immerse himself in some trash, or to uncontrollably scream answers at the screen while watching a game show. Instead, it was non-stop news. Every channel was detailing something terrible. There were wars over-seas. There was a drug bust gone horribly wrong on the other side of town. A foreign dictator was assassinated. A serial killer is on the loose.

Sven listened in on the report and saw Jenos standing outside of Eve's house. The body was wheeled out on a stretcher behind him. He didn't even flinch. Such was his discipline. He was a truly amazing officer. Had Sven retired then the homicide team would be led by him. Unfortunately, even if he wanted to, retirement was a long, long way away.

"We are putting everything at our disposal to use. We want to catch this person before anyone else is killed. We are searching as best we can, but without any discernible leads we're basically stumbling around in the dark. If anyone has any information we urge you to call the police."

Classic police interview material. Reassure the public, put them at ease and then request their support. It was by the book.

There were more interviews and statistics but Sven lost interest and switched off the television. He rolled over and tried to get some rest...

But that accursed phone rang once more.

Sven gritted his teeth and stormed off. He was in no mood for work today. He had been through enough and it was only midday. He tried to retire to his bedroom but the incessant ringing was still audible. With no other choice, Sven went for a walk.

He assumed a carefree facade as he walked down the busy main street. He passed a large shopping district and passed through until he was at a large park. There was a huge water fountain in the middle of a near empty plaza and on the outskirts were a series of benches.

Sven took a seat on one of the faded timber constructs. The paint was wearing off and part of the backrest was eaten away by termites, but a seat was a seat nonetheless.

He watched people come and go, his mind straying between the events of the past few days. He shut his mind off and relaxed. Eventually he cleared his mind of the terrible events and focused on the bubbling water of the fountain. He stared into its rippled surface and became mesmerized by its hypnotic dance...

But then he saw something in the reflection...

Please review! It's your support that keeps me writing!


	4. Chapter 4

_Four_

_What the...Is that...? It can't be? It's that girl again! _

Sven looked up from the fountain and over to the park bench where Eve sat. She had her head bowed and her shoulders slumped.

_Why is she here? Jenos should have arranged for her to go with her father or at last to a carer's house! She shouldn't be running around town alone._

Sven approached her with a growing sense of dread. Every time he looked into the little girl's eyes he remembered that chilling scream and the unforgettable, haunting expression she wore when she found her mother's body.

Sven hesitated before sitting down next to her. She sat up straight but kept her gaze on a small group of pigeons feeding only a few feet away.

"You like birds huh?" Sven asked curiously.

Eve nodded. "They're strange little creatures. It must be fun to be able to fly. I wonder what it's like?"

Sven sighed deeply. "So, did my friend sort out where you're going to stay?"

"He wanted me to live with my dad. I said no but he wouldn't listen so I..." She trailed off.

"You ran away?" Eve nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. "Come on, no tears. You've got to be strong now."

Eve sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"Now...Are you sure there are no relatives you know? There must be someone?" Eve shook her head. "Well then...We'll have to contact child services. They will find a nice family to take care of you-"

"No." Eve interjected. "I don't want to live with strangers. I don't want a new family. I want my mum back."

Sven found himself lost for words. This girl was affecting him far more than he had ever anticipated. He was unable to concentrate on his job because his mind was always drifting to the situation of this bright young child with a grim future. He wanted desperately to find her a good home so that he could hurry and catch the killer, but it seemed that job would be harder than it seemed.

Eve would not agree to go anywhere. There was nothing he could do...He could drop her off at the child welfare office and then make a run for it, casting everything from his mind and getting back to work, but that seemed utterly heartless. As strange as it was to admit, Sven realised that the little organ was still there in his chest.

"Well what are we going to do then Eve? We don't have much choice. I can't just abandon you."

Eve bowed her head. For a moment it seemed as if she was about to break down into tears again, but she was instead trying to hide her bright red cheeks. "You really care about me?"

Sven was taken by surprise but he managed to answer. "Of course I am. There aren't many decent people in this world anymore, but rest assured I'm one of them."

Eve fell silent for a while. When it passed beyond unusual Sven leaned forward to try and see her face. She gazed back at him timidly. "Eve...Are you alright?"

"Um...Would you...Mind if I...Um...Stayed with you?"

For a moment Sven seemed unaffected by the question but then his eyes widened. "What? Why me?"

"You tried to save my mother...You've tried so hard to help me...Such kindness...I want to stay with you." Eve smiled weakly and Sven felt his heart sink.

He knew refusal wasn't an option. What little semblance of his humanity remained urged him to take in the poor orphaned girl. He still hesitated, struggling to understand the thoughts running through Eve's head, but it was a complex puzzle even the greatest minds would never have been able to solve, let alone a small town detective.

Sven sighed. "I guess so...But my work is very dangerous. I want you to be especially careful from now on and I need you to promise me that."

Eve smiled. "I promise."

"Alright then. Let's go home then." Sven couldn't believe what he was saying. Never in his life had he been expecting to say such a thing to a child. He had gotten divorced long ago when he disagreed on raising a family. It was one of the many nails in the relationship's coffin. Yet now he was walking a homeless child back to his home to raise as if she were his own. It made no sense. Why was he agreeing to such a thing?

By the time he realised the answer was too unclear, he was already outside his- no _their _home. As he was unlocking the front door Eve tugged on his sleeve.

"Yes?"

"Excuse me mister...I never learned your name?"

Sven chuckled heartily. "Oh right. I guess that's important now that I'm your guardian. My name is Sven. Pleased to meet you!"

Eve giggled. "It's nice to meet you too Sven."

The two shared a laugh before entering the house. The lights reacted slowly so they stood in semi-darkness for a few seconds before the bulbs snapped into action and illuminated the front room. Eve looked around in a state of awe.

"You get comfy; I'll go get us dinner." Sven grabbed his car keys and headed out the door. "If the phone rings just tell them I'll ring back. Be good!" Sven leaned against the front door and let out a deep groan. He had no idea what to do. This was all too new for him. Trying to solve a string of grisly murders while also tending to a child. It was one too many burdens for him to bear...But for the sake of his humanity, he had to try his best to make it work.

He went to get pizza, relishing in the thirty minute wait. It was ample time to think things through, though he'd been doing that an awful lot lately. It was stressing him out. He'd be losing sleep no doubt...But no surprises there...

Sven slid back against the wall, sighing as the cold hard wall gave him a surprisingly comfortable rest. He almost fell asleep but the thirty minutes was over faster than he expected and he begrudgingly rose to retrieve his dinner.

"Enjoy your nap sir?" the young man at the counter joked.

Sven grumbled an inaudible curse under his breath as he snatched the pizzas and staggered out to the car. The engine rumbled like a waking dragon and slowly rolled off down the road until it gained speed. He lost himself in thought while driving and barely noticed his mobile ringing. When he finally noticed it, it came as such a shock he nearly rammed the car in front of him, but somehow managed to keep his cool.

"Hello?"

Jenos answered. "Sven, I finally got hold of you. I rang the house and someone else answered. I never knew you had a grand-daughter."

"I'm not that old you moron!" Sven snapped. "It's...Um..."

"Well it can't be your kid. That was why you and Rinslett divorced wasn't it?"

"Don't talk about that. It's a dark chapter of my past."

Jenos chuckled. "Well, this new chapter is gonna get pretty damn dark. That little girl from the crime scene...You said she was the victim's daughter...She ran away."

Sven forced himself to gasp. "What? You idiot! How could you-"

"Don't bother. We're already scanning the town for her. She has nowhere to go so we should be able to track her really fast. But anyway, I know you're not in a good mood right now, but I thought you might want to know..." Jenos trailed off.

Sven waited for the news but none came. "Jenos? What is it? Why did you ring me?"

"Well...We have a lead for the case now."

Sven slammed on the breaks and threw himself forward in his seat. He almost choked on the very air he breathed as if it had suddenly turned to poison. "W-what?"

"We ruled out the boyfriend of the first victim. His name was Leon. He's a bit of a rough sort. Has a short criminal history, only a few fights and shoplifting. He had a close relationship with her but they had to split up because Alicia's parents found out he was a criminal. He's clear. No motive, so no suspect."

"That isn't a lead. Don't play games with me Jenos!"

"It's all important. Anyway, the parent's interviews weren't too resourceful, except there was a similarity between both girls. Apparently, both of them had been present at the assassination three years ago."

"Assassination?" Sven recalled the fated event three years ago. There was a mayoral election and a reformed mobster, Lib tyrant was ahead in the votes. On the day he was elected he was assassinated, shot dead by three bullets. All witnesses say they only heard one gunshot, raising a whole bunch of questions. The mysterious assassin was never seen and no-one knew where he had fired from. It was a complete mystery that the police were still investigating.

"Yeah. Both girls had apparently witnessed it. This means someone involved with the assassination is methodically hunting down the witnesses!"

"Female witnesses." Sven corrected. "But I see your point...So...What do we do?"

"Well, there were a few witnesses who never gave their testimonies to police. We've already spoken to a few of them...And this is where it get's interesting." Jenos trailed off again.

"Stop playing around dammit! Who is this guy?" Sven roared into the phone.

"We don't have the name yet, but the nickname came up in conversation with three witnesses and also...It was carved into the second victim's back."

Sven's jaw dropped. "So the connection is..."

"Exactly, this guy was seen by witnesses. He wants them to keep quiet and the best way to keep 'em quiet is to silence them permanently. Apparently some of them overheard a group of men dressed all in black talking about 'Black Cat finishing his mission'." Jenos explained.

"Black Cat...And the claw marks, the veterinarian...It all relates! Jenos! This is amazing! We've actually made a breakthrough in this case!"

"But it ain't all good news. The message on Becky's back read 'The Black Cat's claws are sharper than ever.' You know what that means don't you?" He did his stupid dramatic pause again. "The murders aren't going to stop any time soon. We've seen it first hand. Two victims in one day, barely half a day apart."

"Shit! Each day we waste leaves another two innocents dead." Sven cursed. "Look, I'll see what I can do tomorrow but I have plans tonight."

"You're out dating again? You sly fox." Jenos' mood suddenly shifted. Such a feat could only be managed by steel-skinned police officers. Only one who had become acclimatised to death could shift between light and dark with such natural ease. "Play it safe buddy!" Jenos chuckled.

Sven felt bile rise in his throat. "For fuck's sake she's only a little girl!"

Jenos' reaction was an abrupt cough. Followed by a high pitched, "What?"

There was no way around it now. He had to explain...But then again, the smell of fresh pizza was really getting to him now...It was a difficult decision.

"I'll explain later." Sven hung up just as Jenos started to protest. He then resumed his drive home. He found Eve sitting on the couch, looking unusually comfortable. She was curled up, reading a book on forensic science.

Sven approached her and dropped the pizza on the coffee table. "I don't think kids should read that kind of stuff." He cringed inside as the next part flowed from his mouth without warning. "You'll have nightmares." He wanted to punch himself in the face for such an idiotic and patronising statement.

Eve took little notice and placed the book down on top of another book on homicide. She smiled sweetly and put her feet off of the couch. "You have lots of books."

"Yeah. I have to pretend to be smart otherwise I'd lose my job." Sven replied sarcastically. Eve's laughter was heart-warming and he almost made the same noise people make when a furry little animal performs a trick. The soft hum with a rising inflection. He stopped himself just in time and dropped like a bag of stones in front of the TV.

"You are smart." Eve whispered before taking a small bite out of her processed dinner.

Sven's mouth was too full to thank her so he just nodded while flicking through channels of endless static. He was about to start a fight with the lifeless machine when he finally found a mindless game show. He leaned back into his relaxation position and sighed.

He continually found himself intermittently switching his attention over to Eve, becoming overcome with a child-like fascination. There was something strange about her. She was so incredibly smart, as sweet as sugar and...She was the first kid Sven had ever let into the house. Usually he hated the dirty little creatures, but Eve had a level of sophistication that even most adults lacked. Maybe that was why he could tolerate her company...Maybe that was why he wanted to protect her...

Eve caught Sven staring at her and she turned to him with a slight frown.

Sven was about to say something sentimental and clichéd but he bit his tongue in time and grinned like a complete fool instead. "Do you like it here?"

Eve nodded curtly. "This place feels like home."

Sven chuckled. "That's good. I want you to know, you can stay as long as you want. But don't think you can't leave either. If you have any friends-"

"I don't want to leave." Eve cut him off. "I-I..." She started to blush. "I want to stay with you...Always."

If Sven had his moth full then he surely would have choked. Instead, his eyes narrowed and his jaw dropped of its own accord. What Eve said next was like a rusted knife to the heart.

"Sven...You're my only friend...Can we be friends forever?" There was a hint of desperation in her eyes, as if she had to be re-assured. There was also a harrowing loneliness trapped within the big, glistening orbs of her eyes.

Sven placed a hand on her knee and gazed through the windows into her tortured soul. The words came out of his mouth before he could even think. He smiled warmly and nodded. "Of course. Friends forever."

I hope you are enjoying the story so far. I feel like I've really cracked onto something good in this one, but I guess the real judge of that is you, the readers. Please give me your honest opinion. If I'm lacking in something I can't fix it without knowing it first. If you like the story then your praise would be much appreciated. Either way, it can only help, so please, review.


	5. Chapter 5

_Five_

A trio of young women headed out of a nightclub and made their way to a bus-stop. One of them slumped down into the rotting wooden bench and gave a slurred goodbye to her friends. The other two walked off, taking a detour through an industrial area.

The shadows cast by the lifeless structures were unsettling. Creaking and groaning machinery caused the two women to constantly stop and check their surroundings.

"This was a stupid idea." The first girl said to her brunette friend.

"I know, this place gives me the creeps. We should have just gone the long way."

"Look, let's just hurry up and get out of here! Mr Black is waiting for his food." The first girl had short dark hair. She wore a tartan skirt and a grey hooded jacket over her top.

"Kyoko, why did you call your cat 'Mr Black?" Her friend asked. "I mean there are lots of other nice names."

"I don't care. He's my kitty and I call him whatever I want!" Kyoko fumed. "Anyway, why do you care?"

"I don't know...I just think it's a silly name."

"Whatever, let's just get out of here. It's freezing!" Kyoko shivered.

The two girls walked in silence until they heard a loud hissing noise. They both stopped dead in their tracks and glanced around nervously.

"What was that?"

"I think it was a cat..." Kyoko murmured. A soft meow echoed from behind a nearby boiler. Kyoko giggled. "We were scared of a little kitty! Ha ha ha! Come here kitty."

A small black cat crept out from the shadows and stared curiously at the two strangers. Its small golden eyes flickered in the moonlight.

"Oh, he's so cute! He's like Mr Black!" Kyoko doubled over and slowly approached the little creature.

"Kyoko leave it alone. I want to go home!"

"Fine, go. I'll catch up with you then."

"But-" The friend began. She held her tongue and realised it was hopeless. Kyoko was obsessed with cats. There was no way of dragging her away from a stray feline. With limited patience, the friend strolled off, leaving Kyoko to her own devices.

"Come here kitty!" Kyoko chirped, holding her hand out in a gesture of friendship. The cat backed away but on further coaxing it crept up and began licking the palm of her hand. Kyoko giggled and turned around. "Hey look! He's- huh?" She was alone. Kyoko frowned. "She left? I thought she would stay..."

The cat hissed and ran off. Kyoko yelped and began to chase after it. Before long she found herself in the middle of an abandoned factory. The air was stale and dead. The breeze from outside was no longer present, blocked of by the high walls.

"Um...Kitty? Kate? Anyone? Hello?"

* * *

Kate only walked a dozen or so steps before stopping. She didn't want to get too far ahead of Kyoko, otherwise they would be seperated...And being alone in a place like this was a nightmare she did not want to go through.

_Hmm, maybe I should go back and see her. I really don't want to be alone..._

Kate heard the cat hissing and decided to turn back. She spun on her heels only to be confronted by a dark figure. She wanted to scream but a pale hand formed a tight seal over her mouth. She tried to resist but the assailant was incredibly strong. She felt a skeletal finger trace a line up her spine and she shuddered. The assailant began tracing more lines on her back, as if he was writing something. She writhed about but when a glistening steel blade was pressed against her throat she decided against it.

She closed her eyes and sobbed as she felt the cold bite of the knife as it sank into her flesh, creating a shallow cut. The dribble of blood was a sensation that made her feel sick. Her nausea worsened when the assailant began undressing her. She let out a muffled cry but there was no way the sound would have reached anywhere near a helping hand.

The assailant forced her to turn around and she stared into the depraved eyes of a mad-man. The man made a swift movement with his arm and then it fell limply by his side. Kate felt a sudden pain in her stomach and she glanced down at the spreading crimson stain on her white shirt. Her jaw dropped and she made a quiet whimpering noise.

The man pressed a hand on her chest and forced her to lie on her back. Then in a flurry of blurred movement he stabbed her again and again. Her body convulsed as the large blade sank into her repeatedly. Specks of blood spurted up into the sky, splattering the maniac's face.

Kate was dead long before the attack was over.

The killer rose from the naked corpse and licked the blood from the knife. He turned his head towards the factory where a feminine cry for help could be heard.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

"Oh I'm here..." The killer chuckled menacingly and went inside the factory...

* * *

The door was assaulted by a furious barrage of fists. It was as if a pro boxer was knocking on the door. The light padding of footsteps came from upstairs and Sven was forced to pry his eyes open.

Eve ran up to him, her eyes wide with fright. "Sven...What's going on?"

The not-so-old man groaned as he sat up on the couch. He glanced over at the clock. It was only three in the morning. "At this time, it's probably a bunch of drunks who still haven't lost their buzz."

"Buzz?" Eve inquired.

"Never mind. I'll sort it out." Sven walked over to the door, Eve clinging to his leg, her slender fingers digging into him. He wrenched the door open and was surprised to see Jenos standing there, black rings under his eyes, his skin pale.

"About bloody time! Sven we have a problem and-" Jenos froze mid-sentence, his eyes glued to the young girl clinging to his friend and co-worker. "Isn't that..."

"Eve. She won't stay anywhere else so I'm letting her stay with me. Please don't make a fuss about it."

Jenos raised his hand. "Whatever. There is a more pressing issue."

"Another body turn up?" Sven guessed.

"A baker's dozen. All of them were killed in the same way. Each one was a woman. All have messages inscribed in their backs and furthermore, we have a witness!"

"What?"

"A unit on patrol found her running around completely naked. She was crying and screaming. It took us a while to get her to calm down but she gave us a tip that there were bodies in the abandoned factory outside of town. We sent a couple of cars to check it out and we found a bunch of them." Jenos pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sven, this is too much for me to deal with alone. I'm gad you're enjoying your attempt at babysitting but I need you to help me out on this!"

Sven cursed. "I'm sorry for making you work so hard. I'll head by the station and see what I can find out from the girl. In the meantime I want you to get the sleep I never can. That's an order."

"That's an order I'm willing to follow." Jenos gave a light chuckle. "Alright, have fun with your new little burden Sven."

"Hey, don't say that!" Sven realised the grip on his leg had stopped. He looked down and she was gone. "Oh crap!" He ducked back inside and found Eve sobbing on the couch. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asked in a concerned fatherly tone.

Eve sniffed. "You all think...I'm just...A burden!"

"What? No. I don't think that at all! Jenos is just mad because he's so busy." Sven sat down beside her and stroked her flowing blonde hair. "Please don't cry...I've seen enough tears in my life..."

Eve lunged at Sven and hugged him as she wept into his chest. He draped an arm over her shoulders and let her drown out her sorrows. He knew it wasn't really about what Jenos said. There were many terrible emotions welled up within the small girl and the tiniest of things would unleash her sorrow like a tap on full blast. This was merely an outlet for all her pain to flow free.

"Eve, you have to be strong ok? These past few days have been Hell for all of us, but we have to take everything life throws at us and stand our ground. We just have to push on and get through it!"

"Okay...I'll be strong...For you." Eve gave a weak smile. Even though there was not much of a happy atmosphere, the simple gesture made Sven feel so much better. It was as if her innocent smile was the cure to life's pain. In a strange way, Sven was beginning to realise it was not Eve that needed him...But the other way around.

The stress of this case was causing him to have sleepless nights. They were tearing apart inside and forcing him to work so much he couldn't even find the time to eat. He had to give up half his life for solving the unspeakable crimes. Worse still, witnessing a murder had done enough damage to scar him for life. If it hadn't been for the chance encounter with Eve then there could well have been a bullet lodged in his temple right now.

It was a terrible thing to think about, but to Sven it was an undeniable truth. This case had brought him to the brink. He had seen body after body in his line of work but for some reason...This series of murders was the worst of them all! There was a sense of malice that emanated from the remains...As if the overpowering evil that drove this killer stayed with the victims, lingering in the air, waiting to infect those who came past.

Sven had welcomed any chance to stay away from this case, leaving it up to Jenos, but seeing him this morning was like looking into a mirror. He had those same haunted eyes, the haggard expression, the weariness and fatigue.

"Sven? Are you alright?" Eve's sweet voice broke the hypnotic spell of his obsessive mind. He snapped awake and glimpsed Eve creeping closer to him. "Sven has to be strong as well."

The words struck a chord with him and he snapped out of his depressive mood. "You're right. We'll both be strong. We'll make it through this."

"Should you go?" Eve asked. "Right now, so many people are suffering. Those left behind...Those who will never wake again. The one behind it all must be stopped!"

Sven grinned. "Don't worry. I'll stop him! I'll end the heart-ache, the tears and all the pain! I'll catch this killer before anyone else has to suffer!" He was saying it more for his benefit than for Eve, but it was helping them both. It was a small consolation but it was beneficial nonetheless.

"Alright. I'd better go to the office. I don't know when I'll be back but if you have any worries just call the number for the station. It's on speed-dial. If you're bored, I've got loads more books in the basement, but there is some top secret stuff down there as well so don't go prying into official police business ok?"

"I understand. Good luck."

Sven felt his body move of its own accord. He didn't know what he was doing until it was already done. He kneeled down and kissed her forehead like a father would. It stunned him more than it did for the child. In fact Eve liked it. Most likely, her dead-beat father didn't even look her in the eye. To her Sven was like the father she never had.

They waved and said another round of farewells before Sven left. Eve sat near the window, watching the car until it was out of sight. She watched the empty road for a moment but when nothing came by she lost interest and drifted over to the bookshelf. She skimmed over the titles and found none that caught her eye. She frowned and walked through the living room and over to the old wooden door that led to the basement.

The door wailed as it was pushed open. Dust blew through into Eve's face and she coughed. She waved her hands in the air to clear it away and then went down into the darkness. It was still very early in the morning and the sun was only just up. The frail light spilled in through a tiny window, leaving barely a single slit of sunlight.

She cautiously went down the short set of stairs and looked around, noticing the piles of boxes stacked around the room. Because it was so full it seemed small, but in reality it was a large space. Eve weaved through stacks of folders with scribbled titles on their spines. She passed towers of boxes, piles of books and much more.

It seemed to be far too much for just a single man, but Eve decided not to concern herself with such a trivial issue. She skimmed through the dusty books but was frightened by a loud noise coming from behind her.

She whirled around and tensed herself for the unknown. There was nothing there. No intruders, no monsters, nothing. One of the piles had toppled over. It was only a metre high and it was merely a few old folders. Eve restacked them, absent-mindedly reading their titles as she went. They were mainly nick-names of various criminals.

None of them really stuck in her mind but then she picked up an old red file. Some of the sheets were falling out and the binder was falling apart. The label was so old that the ink in the roughly scrawled name had started to fade making it barely legible. Eve squinted at it and finally recognised the words.

_Chronos asylum for the mentally disturbed._

Eve knew it was against Sven's instructions, but curiosity got the better of her. She opened the file and started to read.

The bodycount is rising faster and faster. Time is running out. The killer has to be stopped. Can Sven put an end to the crime spree before any more innocent people are murdered? 

Please review! 


	6. Chapter 6

_Six_

Sven peered through the glass at the lone girl within the interrogation room. She was wrapped in a blanket but still she shivered every few seconds. She stared straight ahead with wide, terrified eyes. What she had seen must have been truly awful. Police officers struggle with it even at the best of times, but for a teenage girl the sight of death is so much worse.

"Her name is Kyoko Kirisaki. We've failed to get much more out of her because she's so scared. If you think you can calm her down then go ahead, but I doubt we'll get anything out of it today."

Sven nodded. "I've dealt with kids before." With that he opened the door and stepped inside. He put out his cigarette and sat down across from Kyoko. It was an old green table. It had seen better days, but the force was too lazy to buy a new one. The chief always said "Until that things falls apart we don't need a new one!"

It was probably just a cover for his inability to spare twenty bucks for a table, but everyone acknowledged it as a good point anyway. A fight with the chief was like a fight with a brick wall. You could go on forever but you won't break him.

Sven stared silently at the girl, taking in her expression, the way her shoulders trembled with each breath, her pale hands which were clasped together on her lap. He did this for a full minute until he broke the silence.

"My name is Sven. I hear that you are Kyoko, right?" The girl nodded. "That's a pretty name. Now Kyoko, I was informed that you saw something...Quite terrible, is that correct?" She nodded again. "Well, I don't like terrible things. I'm sure you don't either." She shook her head. "Well then, how about we work together and make sure no more terrible things happen eh? What do you say?"

Kyoko hesitated but eventually she nodded curtly.

"Good. Now I'm going to ask you a few questions. Is that alright with you?" Kyoko shook her head fervently. "They aren't about the incident; I was just going to ask about you, is that ok?"

Kyoko paused. She stared into his eyes and then down at her hands. She took a deep breath and nodded.

"Thank you. Now, how old are you?"

She leaned forward and opened her mouth, but no words came out. She stopped and gazed to the side.

"Don't worry. Take your time."

"S-Seventeen." She whispered timidly.

"Alright. Now, do you still go to school?" Sven asked in his calmest voice.

"Yes."

"Are you popular?" Sven inquired. Kyoko hesitated before nodding. "Hmm. I thought so. Do you like school?"

"Uh-huh." Kyoko replied.

"Are you good at it?"

"I guess so..."

"Do you have a best friend?" That question severed a nerve. It startled her in an obvious way, causing her to jump in her seat. Sven leaned forward and took a hold of Kyoko's hand. "You understand why I'm here. I want to find the man who killed your friends but I can't do it unless you co-operate. Understood?"

Kyoko shuddered. She was definitely uncomfortable, but the harmless questions had managed to bring her out of her protective shell. There was a chance it could work...

"So, can I count on you to answer the questions?" Sven pressed, still keeping his voice as calm as possible.

Kyoko wrenched her hands away and placed them over her face. She started to weep and Sven got up from his seat. She peeked through her fingers at him. Her eyes narrowed when Sven reached up to his face to remove his eye patch.

"I haven't shown anyone my eye before. You're the first person to see it other than my ex-wife." Sven untied the black string and removed the small black patch from his eye. He put it down on the table and leaned in close so Kyoko could see the horrific scarring.

"W-what happened?" Kyoko gasped.

"I was trying to foil a drug deal. I went alone and got busted up pretty bad. I lost my eye in the process. My best friend was a cop too. He tried to save me but ended up losing his life." Sven scratched at the white scar tissue around the base of his eye. There was barely an eye socket, his eyelids almost melted together and covered in scars.

Kyoko had to turn away.

Sven put the eye patch back on and sighed. "I know what it's like to lose your best friend. It happened to me. Worse still, I watched my friend die. I saw the look in his eyes as he reached out to me, begging for help. I wanted to save him, but it was too dangerous. I had no choice but to turn away and run."

Kyoko whimpered.

"I went through the same thing as you. I had to answer questions. Even though it tore me apart inside, I knew if I kept it to myself, then my friend's death would have been for nothing. I wanted to avenge him, so I told them everything. We went in there and arrested them all. We took down every last one of those bastards and ended the drug trade in this city!"

"I know you don't like thinking about it, but if you want your friends to keep dying one by one, then stay silent. But if you want to stop the violence once and for all you can tell me everything! Now what's it gonna be?"

There was long moment of tense silence. The two of them were lost in their own thoughts, silently debating with their own consciousness. At long last, Kyoko bowed her head and uttered a word so softly it was barely audible. It was like the whispers of the wind, so soft and gentle, but Sven knew what she said. It brought a smile to his face and he placed a reassuring hand on Kyoko's shoulder. It seemed to steady her trembling body and it further calmed her down.

He had done it. He had broken down the wall and now the evidence would be piling in...Hopefully. With Kyoko's testimony they might be able to hammer in another nail in this killer's very own coffin.

"I was out with some friends..." Kyoko began.

Sven grinned. He gave a thumb's up to the officers behind the glass and they started the recording.

"We were at a club. We stayed till late since it's the weekend. The girls got tired before the guys so we left early. Hannah caught the bus home but Kate and I decided to walk home since it was not too far."

"So it was only you and Kate?"

"Yes. We took a shortcut through the abandoned industrial area. It saves us going around and cuts about ten minutes off of the walk." She was going surprisingly well. Her nerves had subsided enough for her to speak clearly and she wasn't stopping constantly, a usual sign of discomfort.

"So, the old steelworks. That was where you found the...Discovery?"

Kyoko nodded morosely. "We were kind of scared. We heard all these noises but then we found a stray cat. The noises had been coming from him."

"A cat? Interesting." This was definitely the same killer. "So...What kind of cat was it?"

Kyoko put a finger to her lower lip and glanced up at the roof. "Well, it had black fur and-"

"A Black cat eh? Very well, keep going with the story. You found a stray cat and then hat happened?"

"Uh, well, I have a...Fondness for cats...So I tried to catch him. Kate was getting scared so she kept urging me to leave the cat alone."

"And did you?"

Kyoko bowed her head. "No. I ran off after it. Kate walked off but I kept chasing the cat. It ran into one of the factories and...And..."

"You discovered the bodies?" Sven suggested blankly.

Kyoko glared at him. He put it so bluntly yet it was so horrible. How could he be so desensitized to death? Kyoko took a deep breath and nodded.

"Now, I want you to describe it to me. Where were the bodies, how were they handled, was there anyone you recognised amongst them?"

Kyoko made a choking noise and tears streamed down her cheeks. "They...They...H-Hooks...And...I...I..." Kyoko lost herself to her emotions and broke down again. Sven cursed inwardly, but still he was proud.

He got on his feet and lazily hugged the young girl. "It's okay. I understand. You don't have to answer any more questions if you don't want to."

Kyoko sniffed loudly and nodded.

"Alright, you did your best. I'm proud of you. You're very brave to be able to speak out about something like this. Now why don't you go have a lie down and I'll get out of your hair. I'm sure you're exhausted." Sven approached the door and paused, wavering about on his feet. He glanced back over his shoulder. "Kyoko?"

The girl looked up at him and frowned.

"Thank you." With that he shut the door and returned to the other officers.

"Wow, you actually got her to start talking! That's amazing!"

Sven chuckled. "We haven't finished with her just yet. There's still work to be done, but for now leave her alone. Find her some clothes, organise a comfy bed for her. Until we've finished she should stay here."

"Yes sir!" The younger officer scampered off to do as told.

Sven made his way to the door when he noticed the time on an old dusty clock. There was still time. While he had it spare, he decided to check up on something else.

"Chief!" He called. After a short wait the pudgy man appeared, a mug of coffee in one hand. Crumbs littered around his mouth, getting stuck in his thin moustache.

"What do you want Volfied?"

"Arrange a unit to take me to the steel works. I want to see the crime scene for myself."

The chief rolled his eyes. "Fine. Anything else?"

Sven shook his head. "Actually, there is one thing." The chief looked up expectantly and Sven smirked. "Get a new table for the interrogation room."

Sven stepped outside and took in the cold breeze, laughing to the muffled curses of his boss.

* * *

The fetid stench of death hit him hard. Sven still felt nauseous when such assaults on the senses occurred. The two accompanying officers led him through the shattered front gate and down towards the factory. It was one of several large steel-walled buildings which towered over the rest of the area. Machinery littered the outside of it, entangled around stairways and railings.

It looked much like a horror movie set, but this was reality. A sombre reality in which a psychotic murderer was hunting down young girls and playing sinister games with the townspeople.

"In here Mr Volfied." One of the officers waved at a rusted door. The handle was rotten and the paint on the door was falling off in large flakes.

Sven pushed it open and the smell worsened. He looked around in the darkness and realised he couldn't see a thing. His eyes hadn't adjusted to the light and the sun was still too low in the sky to pass through the small windows up near the roof.

"Here." One of the officers switched on the lights and the dim illumination revealed the horrors within.

A dozen bodies. Blood coating everything in sight. Insects festering in the gore-soaked factory. One of the bodies was strung up by a meat-hook passing up through her chin and out her gaping mouth. She was naked and covered in vicious cuts.

Another was hanging by a hook in each hand, hanging up in a Jesus Christ pose, her stomach slit open and her innards festering in a pile down on the floor.

A third had chains wrapped around her throat, her lifeless body dangling on the swaying chain.

Another had her flesh peeled away.

Sven turned away and cursed, repulsed by the vile treatment of the innocent girls. The mental depravity of this killer was beyond measure now. Such a violent, cruel beast had to be stopped, but without Kyoko's full testimony they were still fumbling around in the dark.

"Shocking, isn't it sir?" The younger officer remarked.

Sven shook his head. "This is far worse than shocking. This is pure evil! We have to prevent any more deaths and- wait a minute? The backs! Are there messages in their backs?"

A quick inspection found only a few of them had wounds to their backs and of those that did, none were messages, but merely deep gashes that ran in straight lines.

Sven grasped his chin and made a humming sound. "Hmm, no messages...Is this really the same guy? The other victims had symbolic deaths, yet these seem to have just been crammed together just for the fun of it. It's almost as if he's given up on the game and given into his violent urges..."

"You mean the psycho has gone crazy?" The young officer asked.

Sven's expression darkened. "Essentially, yes. He's through playing with the police; he just wants to kill for the fun of it now. He gained a taste for blood and now he's hungrier than ever!"

The killer is raising the stakes. He has to be stopped now before he does something drastic...But what? Read on to find out!

Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry for the long wait, but here is the next chapter. Enjoy and review!

_Seven_

The graphic pictures of the recent victims lay spread out over Sven's desk. Sven had seen enough and sat down in an office chair nearby, watching the other officers studying the photographs. He had never been so worked up by a case before but something about this whole thing made him feel uneasy.

Maybe it was the murder he witnessed, the look in that woman's eyes as her life was drained out of her through the ragged cut in her throat. Maybe it was Eve, the little girl who was abandoned, her mother murdered just beyond Sven's reach. The one person he tried so hard to save, yet he failed, only to face the bombshell that there was a young girl in her care. No matter the reason, this case was different.

The clues were beginning to mount up. This legendary assassin, the infamous Black Cat...It had to be him. The cats at each crime scene, the coincidental presence of each victim at the Lib Tyrant assassination, the lack of any other suspects. There was little doubt. Only a trained killer could cause such damage and still get away with it. Only a pro could butcher someone in such ways. The precise incisions on the first few victims were unmistakeable signs of a professional.

"So." It was the chief's voice. "Any luck?"

Sven was taken by surprise. This was the first time the chief hadn't made a complaint or insult. For once he was actually interested. He leaned forward in his chair and scratched his eye patch.

"I have a strong hunch. We don't have concrete evidence but what we have is incriminating enough."

"Really? Who is the nut job then?" The chief was excited.

"Remember Lib Tyrant?" Sven mumbled.

"That was the mayor who was shot dead right?"

Sven nodded. "The guy who shot him...He's our killer."

The chief's expression darkened. "What?"

"I said the Black Cat is the killer. He's our only suspect. No-one else had any motive to hurt these people. He also has the skills required to carry out the grim mutilations on each victim. Also, his trading card...A black cat, there has been one at every crime scene. We also have a witness. If we can get Kyoko to describe our man we can run a file check and see if it matches up."

"But...We haven't caught him yet. We've got no files on him."

Sven frowned. "I assumed as much, but I've done some digging. " He glanced up with a beaming smile. "I think I know where to find him."

* * *

Eve read through the folder about the Chronos asylum and became drawn in. The articles in the folder were compelling, each one more interesting than the last. This place sounded like the product of every child's nightmares, a pure taste of hell.

Eve was almost too afraid to stop reading, as if putting the folder down would somehow curse her. She read through to the last article which had a bold print heading reading: Patient 00013: Train Heartnett (Black Cat)

A large photograph of a young man was clipped to the right hand side of the page. He was only a youngster, barely in his twenties. Wild locks of slick brown hair fell across his face in thick spikes. His eyes were odd. They were almost feline, with a yellow tinge and narrow pupils, much like those of a cat. He looked rather aggressive, but nothing even remotely close to the expectation of an asylum patient.

As Eve read through the file she learned a terrifying secret. The Chronos asylum had an ulterior motive for admitting its patients...They were selected for more than just their mental issues...

"My god...this is...this is..." She was unable to finish her sentence. There was nothing she could say to describe the evil deeds this place was conducting. It sent a shiver up her spine just reading about it. It was almost too much to bear, but she was incapable of putting the file down. It begged her to read more.

All that remained were four pages of colour photographs. The first page showed low quality images of the cells. They were dirty, disgusting, unkempt and just the thought of living in one of them made Eve feel ill. The cramped, filthy cells, crammed so close together that a lone man's cries for help would echo throughout the whole facility...It was horrific, but it was tame compared to the next page.

The second page showed pictures of patients being lined up, beaten, force-fed, strapped to tables and even being operated on.

The third page went into more detail. The large splotches of red made Eve feel queasy and she was about to put the book down when her hand moved of its own accord and turned the page. She shrieked at the sight of it and hurled the book to the ground.

The photograph was completely unrelated to the asylum. It didn't belong there whatsoever, but that was not the worst part. The worst part was that the photograph was of Eve's own mother!

Eve shuddered, trying to get the image of her mother out of her head. The photograph of her mother, naked, caked in dried blood and her wide unblinking eyes staring right at the viewer, reaching into her soul.

"W-Why? Why is that photo there?" She whimpered to herself. Her skin crawled when someone else replied.

"Your mother was tempting, but I was interrupted by that police man. Now that he's busy for the day...I shall have her daughter!" The voice was unfamiliar. Eve knew she had to do something; escape, fight back, something...But she was too afraid to even turn around.

A hand clasped around her mouth and she tried to scream, but instead she became overwhelmed with sudden drowsiness. Her head felt heavy. Her knees were weak. Her eyelids drooped and she tripped on her own feet, only to be swept up in the arms of the intruder. She was under the sandman's spell before she could get a good look at his face, but even from the blurred glimpse before passing out Eve recognised the face from the folder.

It was definitely one of the patients...There was no doubt. She knew the name of her mother's killer. She knew who committed all the murders. His name was-

* * *

"Train Heartnett?" The chief repeated.

Sven nodded. "Yes. According to the records at the asylum he was admitted due to his erratic violent behaviour. He was captured along with a team of mercenaries several years before the assassination and was admitted. He was let out after receiving a healthy psychological profile only a day before the shooting and on the day of the shooting he was brought back, though he came of his own free will."

"What?"

"He was merely placed back in his cell and forgotten. The place was shut down a few years back when the staff were suspected of aggravating their patients and supposedly training them in martial arts and armed warfare."

The chief's eyes widened. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"No. Their spokesman said that military styled training distracted the mind from their mental ailments and also taught them discipline, both physically and mentally. The feds however were not happy with them training soldiers, even if it was the miracle cure for ADHD or schizophrenia. They place was shut down and the patients were all transferred to other mental hospitals."

"So, where is he?"

"Well, the old facility has been completely abandoned ever since it's closure. If he's hiding out low, then I bet he's still using the facility as a home." Sven clenched his fists. "I can feel it. He's close. We are within reach of him. We are so close to finding this guy and ending his rampage."

"Are you certain it's him? We can't go locking up some innocent-"

"I'll bring him in. If Kyoko identifies him then he is our man. If not, we can cart him off to the closest hospital where he belongs. If we find nothing then at least we tried."

The chief sighed. "Alright. I hope you're right about this. We can't afford to let this guy roam free anymore. At first when he was taking things slow I wasn't so concerned, but now this has gone too far. We've lost far too many citizens in these few short days."

"Don't worry. I'm certain that Train will be there. I don't know why, but I just know it..."

"How many cars should I send out?" The Chief asked, reaching for his phone.

Sven stared down at his hands. They were bunched into fists so tight that his veins were bulging, almost exploding out of his skin. He wanted to go alone, to finish what he started, but he knew as well as anyone that this guy was not to be taken lightly.

"Two cars. That should be all we need. Tell them where to go." Sven glared out the window, into empty space. "I'm going to get a head start."

* * *

The cold hit hard, a strong sudden chill that crawled under her skin and drove deep within her bones. Eve felt her body shiver spasmodically in a fit of cold. It was below freezing, or at least it felt that way. Eve's panicked breath release short bursts of mist which drifted before her eyes for a moment before vanishing right before the next breathless pant.

_Where am I? It's so dark. I can't see a thing._

In her terrified state her mind played tricks on her, making her see vague shapes in the darkness reach out to her, their silent voices haunting her. She closed her eyes but the very same visions remained. She reached out with her left hand and felt something like concrete or stone. It was a wall. She felt her way along, moving slowly, grasping out at the darkness with one hand while keeping the other firmly stuck on the wall.

As she shimmied across the room she kicked over something. From the clanging metallic sound it could have been a bucket, but it was too dark to see anything, not even her hand in front of her face...But her hands weren't in front of her face...

Eve screamed, it came out far louder than she had expected and the sound reverberated off of the high stony walls creating a haunting echo. She backed away from the unknown assailant but suddenly she was falling. She tripped over on something soft and spongy and hit the ground hard. It was cold and wet. She scrambled backwards but bumped into something else. It was like a punching bag, but less dense.

An awful sound assaulted her ears, a piercing whine that made her entire body seize up. The noise suddenly changed into a distorted form of laughter, laughter which sounded worse than nails on a chalkboard. It was the single worst thing she had ever heard in her life and it gave her a headache.

She cried out for it to stop but it merely got louder...And closer.

Eve tried to pick herself up and run but she slipped on the wet floor and came crashing down again. She whimpered as she imagined dozens of invisible hands wrapping their bony fingers around her and dragging her into the abyss, trapped in a world of perpetual darkness and endless pain.

She crawled forward, determined to keep moving, but the deafening clatter of footsteps behind her were getting closer and closer with each, eternal second.

_No! I don't want to die! Please! Someone help me! Sven! Anyone! Please!_

"You cannot run forever. I can already see you. I can smell you, I can hear you...I can feel you!"

A frozen, clammy hand clasped around her shoulder. She screamed again but her cries were cut short the instant she could feel someone breathing on the back of her neck. Her whole body convulsed with fear but another hand gripped her other shoulder, holding her steady. The rancid stench of death suddenly caught her senses and she wanted to gag, but her body was refusing to even breathe.

"Do you want to see you mother again?" The sickening, taunting voice asked.

Eve sobbed. She couldn't answer. Her vocal chords had tightened and her lungs collapsed, unable to speak or breathe, she merely sat there, wheezing while stinging tears rolled down her face. The darkness around her was only adding to her fears, paralysing her and rendering her helpless against the killer. She couldn't do anything. Unable to help herself, and far from anyone else Eve had no choice but to remain locked in the killer's vice-like grip.

He was chuckling under his breath, relishing in the fear that emanated from his prey.

"You're a pretty little thing aren't you? Just like your mother. You have her hair, you have her eyes...You even have her scream! If so, then your blood must be as sweet as hers...I'm going to enjoy this!"

Eve screamed in her mind, but in reality her heart had stopped. Her sobbing ceased, as did her erratic wheezing. Her shivers disappeared and Eve began to feel light-headed.

She fainted, the last thing she heard, mocking laughter...The last thing she saw...Darkness, overpowering and empty. Hiding its sinister secrets and swallowing her whole.

Eve lost consciousness and she doubted she would wake up again...

No! Not Eve! 

Don't let her die! Review before it is too late!


	8. Chapter 8

_Eight_

Sven kept his eyes focused on the road, though his mind was elsewhere. He was too engrossed in the belief that he had finally cornered the maniacal bastard who had been keeping him awake for the past few weeks. The vicious trail of bloodshed was nearing its end.

This killer wasn't interested din covering their tracks. They left obvious signs at each crime scene. The only problem was the wild, erratic killing spree. Although his identity was simple to find out, his motives and potential victims were harder to track.

Still, none of it mattered anymore. He may have only been running on a strong hunch but Sven had never felt more certain before in his life, even when he met his wife...But that was proof that he could be wrong...But even if Train wasn't there, even if the hospital was completely abandoned, devoid of life...He knew there would be clues lying around everywhere.

He turned off the main road and rolled down the narrow stretch of tarmac which led into a country area after a few kilometres.

Dead trees rose up alongside the road, swaying in the chilled breeze like the bare skeletons of a once thriving area. Browned leaves provided a thin cover over the old, greying road. The leaf cover hid the potholes which made the squad car bounce at its high speed.

The signs told him to only go 60, but Sven was in a hurry, too eager to end the monstrous string of murders and hunt down the man who had plagued his nightmares since he first saw him.

Sven's arms were tingling. The gun in his hip holster was screaming at him, crying out for justice to be dealt, no matter what the cost. He was so excited his whole body was shaking, his action hero complex just begging to jump out of his skin and take down the villain. He suppressed it as well as he could and forced his mind to refrain from anything but the road ahead.

It was a losing battle...Especially when his phone rang. It sounded like an agonised cry for help, but in the very next second he realised it was just a simple little tune. Picked up the phone and answered, still driving, though dropping to the legal speed limit now.

A husky, distorted sound came through the speaker and Sven felt his heart skip a few beats. He waited silently for the caller to speak and it took a moment for a familiar voice to greet him.

"Sven, how are you?" It was only Jenos. A fortunate false alarm.

Sven parked by the side of the road and cursed his over-working imagination. "I'm fine." He snapped. "Don't yawn into the phone next time it sounds really creepy."

"Oh, sorry about that. Anyway, I just wanted to see if you'd made a break in the case yet?"

Sven nodded, but when he realised his partner wouldn't be able to see it through a phone he confirmed it. "Yes. I've narrowed it down. Train Heartnett is our man, the Black Cat. Judging from his past known whereabouts I'm checking the old Chronos institution to see if he's still holding up there. If he is, then the case is closed and I can get a full night's sleep for once." It sounded like a dream come true.

Jenos laughed into the phone. "Yeah right. You're caring for that kid now, Eve. She'll keep you awake at night."

"Eve..." Sven muttered as if he had never heard of her before. "Hey, could you go check up on her?"

"What?" Came the reply.

"Eve is all alone. I know she's kind of mature for her age but still I'm worried. Could you just drop by and see if she needs anything, please? I'm not asking you to baby-sit or anything."

"I thought it was my day off..." Jenos murmured.

"Come on."

"Fine! I'll do it now, then I can get back before the game starts...I'm really getting used to this, it's like a paid vacation."

"Well, we can both have a vacation when this case is over. You can drink beer and watch TV and I'll go into a coma and never wake up until a new killer pops up."

Jenos chuckled. "Sounds like a good plan."

Then he hung up. Sven turned back onto the road and continued on his way to the asylum.

* * *

Eve woke up once again in a darkened room, though at least this time she could see the vague shapes of the furniture, even if they were barely distinguishable from the abyssal backdrop around her.

It took here a moment to notice the man standing against the wall in front of her. His arms were right by his side and he was slightly hunched over, but his presence could be felt before he was seen.

Eve tried to get up and run but her hands and feet were bound with something sharp and painful. It bit into her in certain places, as if there were teeth along its cold edges. She tried to wriggle her hands free but a sharp, agonising pain made her stop. She could feel a thin sliver of steel worm its way into her wrist. She suppressed her scream and winced instead. She could feel her blood pumping out in short pulses, like a broken tap.

She opened her eyes and tried to squint through the clouded haze of tears. It was difficult but she could tell the man was closer now, only a few steps, but definitely closer.

She rose to her feet and tried to run but the same barbed wire bound her feet. She tripped and fell on her side.

The man's shadow didn't move at all yet she could feel him, towering over her now. When she felt a thin, bony finger run across her cheek she knew for certain that he was upon her. She mover her head away from him but he persisted and followed her until she could twist her head no more.

"Your cheeks are soft...Just like your mother...In this room we shall never be interrupted. I can play with your for eternity...I can do what I never managed with your mother. I had such delectable tortures in store for her but that damned police-man had to interrupt. I still bear the scar from his pathetic offensive."

"Sven will save me..." Eve whispered to herself, though the killer's ear picked it up all too well.

"Sven. Is that his name? Well, I do hope I meet him again. When I do I will make sure he regrets ever getting in our way! We shall not be hindered by such fools!"

"We?" Eve asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Why of course. I wasn't acting alone. No, I merely played my part to help out an old friend...Together we shall consume the world. They will learn to fear us. We will create a new world, a better world!"

Eve rolled away slowly while he went off on his little rant, but he could see her as clear as day. He lunged forward and stomped on her ribs. She coughed violently as the wind was knocked out of her.

"Do not test me. I do want to play, but I hate tag. No, my favourite game is 'Operation'!" The sadistic laughter that followed was one of the worst sounds Eve had ever heard. Nails on a chalk-board were like lullabies compared to the hideous manic laughter.

She had to do something. Time was running out. She had to find a way to save herself, a way to give her time until Sven rescued her...If he could. But how could he save her when even she didn't know where she was being held captive?

There had to be a way out of here...Somewhere...

"Here, let me take these off you. I would rather you be free for this." The man untied the barbed wire around her wrists and legs. She hugged her hands to her chest and whimpered as the pain intensified.

"Why?" She asked, a definite stall for time and also a burning question. Her voice was but a tiny squeak but the killer had excellent hearing.

"Why, you ask? It goes without saying...They knew too much. The Black Cat must never be identified. Anyone who compromised that had to die. As for the rest...A woman's cries are a soothing song. I have yearned to create a song of such transcendal beauty that the world would weep at its magnificence. The chorus of a woman in agony is that song. It is addictive. The crimson artwork that accompanies her performance is but another tempting pleasure. To see her graceful form contorted in pain, to see her bare soul escape her very eyes, it is a truly wonderful thing..."

Eve felt like vomiting, but her bruised stomach was causing her too much discomfort to allow such a thing. Now more than ever she felt the need to flee, knowing full well that her fate would not be a pretty one at the hands of such a depraved madman.

"Now," Eve's thoughts were cut short by his sharp interruption. "It is time, dear Eve...It is time to hear your song."

* * *

Jenos approached Sven's house when a great yawn broke out. He swayed on his feet for a moment while he rubbed his eyes.

"Dammit Sven...Making me go all the way out for nothing..." He trudged up the path to the front door and knocked with the back of his hand. "Geez, what does he think will happen to her? She's just a little girl, she's not gonna go out and start partying or something."

Silence greeted him. There was no answer at the door. He knocked again and waited.

Still nothing. Jenos cursed. "She's probably having a nap or something. But if that's the case I probably shouldn't wake her up..."

An idea popped into his head. Jenos reached into his wallet and produced a small silver key. He and Sven had both gotten keys for each other's houses just in case of emergencies. They had never really used them and the keys had merely gone on to rot inside their wallets. Now the little piece of shrapnel had a use.

Jenos stabbed it into the lock and twisted sharply until the door clicked. He pushed it open and slowly crept inside.

"I'll just check she's sleeping and then duck out before she notices." Jenos instructed himself.

He made it into the living room and found a pile of books scattered across the floor. It was odd though, as Eve seemed like a tidy person, not one to just hurl things around in such a way. Nonetheless Jenos ignored it and headed past the door to the basement which was slightly ajar. Jenos took no notice and headed up the stairs to the bedrooms.

Sven's room was empty. The next room up was where Eve was staying. Jenos slowly curled his fingers around the doorknob and pushed it open gently. There was no-one there.

"Huh? It's empty?" Jenos backed out into the hall and called out as loud as he could, "Eve? Eve?"

A loud dripping noise made him stiffen. His whole body lurched forward and bolted for the source of the sound before he even thought of it. He vaulted down the stairs and landed near the door to the basement. He kicked it open and reached for his hip, only to realize he didn't have his gun with him.

_Shit!_

He ran to the kitchen and found Sven's knife set. The largest of the set was missing. Jenos' eyes narrowed and he grabbed a long thin steak knife and headed down into the basement. Four steps down there was a small, dark red stain. The corner of the step below it had another little blood-stain.

Jenos carefully descended, his eyes frantically darting about in the darkness for a sign of any threat. He reached the bottom step and noticed a torn piece of fabric snagged on a large protruding splinter. He squatted down and stared at it. It looked like a white frill.

"Eve..."

Jenos quickly did a round of the room, searching for the killer who could still be waiting in the darkness. He rounded a large stack of boxes and found one toppled over. One of the files was wide open. He stooped down to pick it up and noticed the large logo pasted at the top of the page.

"Chronos..." It took a moment for the pieces to fit together but when they did Jenos felt a wave of nausea overtake him. He dropped the knife and the folder, immediately bolting for the stairs and rushing up as fast as he could, bashing his shin against one of them. He hopped up the final few stairs and limped through the hall until he was outside.

He hastily jumped in his car and started up the engine, not bothering to do up his seat-belt. He broke the speed limit and doubled it as he sped off home.

* * *

Sven pulled up outside the abandoned asylum. It looked more haunting than it had in the pictures. The frozen sensation that billowed out from the dead walls was something that could never be captured on film.

He brushed off the chills and jogged up to the front door. He took out the master key which he had taken from the chief's desk and unlocked the great, wide doors. Their rotting timber frames screeched as they opened for the first time in what seemed like years.

Hopefully, Sven was not the first visitor here recently; otherwise his hunch had been for nothing. His big hype over failure. He sincerely hoped he was right. There were many officers on their way here. In a minute or two his back-up would arrive and Train would be done for.

Sven stepped into the foyer and coughed as a thick cloud of dust tried to escape from its empty, silent prison. He waved about and pushed it aside as he made his way to a map of the facility. He studied it and then took out a sheet of paper he had written notes on.

According to his research Train was admitted in the East ward on the ground level, room 12B, the last one in the block. It was just down a long narrow corridor, right at the end of the hall. That would be his first priority. If he found nothing there, the others would be there in time to perform a full sweep of the place. They can dig up every single trace and find their man.

He jogged down the hall, taking extra care to lighten his footfalls. He made it to the ill-fated room in no time and for a moment he just stood there, dumbstruck. The evil, psychotic murderer could be waiting just beyond the thick steel door. The monster that had descended on this little town could only be a metre away in his padded, white-walled cell.

Sven slowly reached for the handle and at the same instant his hand contacted the rusted handle a loud piercing whine assaulted his ears. He flinched and fell on his back creating a loud resounding thud that echoed throughout the whole facility.

He cursed just as loudly and snatched his phone. It was Jenos again.

"Dammit Jenos now is not the time to be-" Sven's irate rant was cut short by the odd sound that came from the other end. He paused. "Jenos?" Distressed hyperventilating was coming from the other end of the line. "Jenos what's wrong?"

"Eve!" Jenos cried out so loud it almost burst his eardrum.

"Eve? What happened to her?"

"That psycho has her! He's taken her Sven! He's got Eve!"

The race is on. Time is running out. The cop and the killer in the same building. Will Sven find his target before Eve faces the same fate as her mother? Only one way to tell...Read the next chapter!

Please review.


	9. Chapter 9

_Nine_

The words too a while to sink in. For a moment Sven just stared dead ahead, unable to process what he was hearing, but then it happened, like a series of knives were suddenly thrust into his heart. His knees trembled and his cheeks drained of colour.

He tried to speak but his throat tightened involuntarily. He barely managed to hold the phone, his hands going numb.

"W-What?" He asked, his voice cracking from the fear.

"Eve...She's been abducted by...By Train!"

"How? How did he-"

"I'm so sorry...I should have known she would be a target. I should have offered to keep an eye on her while you were gone...I...I screwed up." The guilt in Jenos' voice was painful to listen to. He felt terrible for this, yet he couldn't really be held responsible.

"No, it's my fault." Sven sighed. "I overlooked her wellbeing while chasing a trail I didn't even have solid evidence for..." Sven glared at the door in front of him and reached for his gun. "In any case...I'm certain I know where to find her!" He hung up and took a deep breath before unlocking the door and slamming his whole body into it, forcing the old door to open.

He fell into the room and dive rolled, landing in a crouch with his pistol raised up and ready to fire. He pivoted to the left and right but found the room empty. There was nothing there...There was nothing at all, not even a trace of recent activity. An inch thick layer of dust coated the padded walls. Cobwebs gathered in the corners, forming large cotton sheets.

This room had been abandoned for many, many years.

Sven panicked. Eve could be anywhere in this facility now, hell she might not even be here at all. Maybe he was chasing a red herring. Maybe his whole hunch was just a silly guess. A terrible mistake that would cost him the dear young girl that he had grown to care for.

He bolted out into the hall and screamed. "EVE!"

* * *

Eve cried out as her head was cracked against the cold hard floor. She felt dizzy, her head was swimming. Her daze did not halt the attack as the killer relentlessly stomped on her, crushing her ribs and stomach. She made ragged wheezes as the air was beaten out of her time and time again.

"Come on! Let me hear you! Scream for me!"

Eve wanted to, desperately, but the hard boot that pressed into her stomach was making it impossible for her to make a sound bar the occasional, pained wheeze.

The killer scowled at her and produced a wicked looking knife. It shone in the non-existent light, like a sharpened moon in the artificial night.

Eve tried to squirm away but the killer was upon her at once, grabbing a handfull of hair and tilting her head back so that her neck was fully revealed. She shook her head in a frenzy of hysterical fear but even with the adrenaline rush she was powerless against him. He was so much more powerful than her.

The thin piece of steel pressed against her neck and she whimpered like a puppy in a thunderstorm. The blade ran up her neck with such precision and grace that the skin did not break. It then reached up towards her jaw. The blade traced a line up her cheek until it reached her forehead, then it was drawn back down, though rougher this time. The blade sank into her cheek and she screamed in outright agony.

The killer howled with delight and threw her face first into to the floor. She sobbed pitifully while clawing at the ground, hopelessly trying to drag herself to safety. She was so weak she didn't even move an inch before He was upon her again. Eve closed her eyes and braced herself for the pain but it never came.

The killer paused. He remained stock still for a moment but eventually Eve could hear it as well. Someone was calling her name. The voice was muffled through the thick walls but it was unmistakeable, it was Sven. The killer somehow knew it as well.

"Damn! It's that cursed police-man again. He cracked on faster than I expected. I can't afford him interrupting me. I'll end him before he causes too much of a disturbance." He glanced back at Eve with a sinister smile. "And then I'll finish playing with you, little Princess."

Eve winced at the way he said it. The word sounded so unnatural coming from him.

"Stay here." He snarled, stabbing the knife deep in her shoulder.

Eve's eyes shot wide open and she curled up in a ball as an ear-splitting scream escaped her lips. The killer yanked the blade out and licked the blood from its edge. He shuddered and moaned from the taste test and then disappeared.

Eve heard the deafening slam of the door as he exited the room. She tried to stand but the pain was so excruciating she couldn't think straight. She fell over sideways and rolled about sobbing. Even with a chance of escape she couldn't take it as her injuries were too severe.

Her mind was so distracted that she couldn't even form the thoughts to stand up and run, to find help, to get the hell out of there while she had an opening.

Unable to help herself, she tried a new tactic. She cried out for help, screaming with all the air in her lungs. Her tortured pleas brought her so much more pain from her bruised lungs but she pressed on until she was a trembling, broken wreck.

* * *

Sven heard a door slamming nearby. He thought it came from down the corridor but he discovered nothing but empty cells down the entire block. He cursed and headed upstairs, once again finding nothing.

"Damn!" He looked around anxiously. "I know I heard a door slamming! Where are you, you son of a bitch!" He punched the wall beside him and watched the old paint splinter and crack under the force.

He turned back and headed downstairs to the ground level again. He was about to turn down a new direction when he heard a horrific cry for help. A young girl screaming for someone to save her. That young girl could only be one...It had to be Eve.

"She's close!" Sven retraced his steps but once again found nothing. He cursed when he heard the scream once again. He entered the room where the sound was coming from, but there was no sign of anyone in there. He fumbled around the walls, trying to find a secret trapdoor or something, but that too ended up in failure.

Frustration took over and Sven grabbed at the sides of his head and tugged on his hair. "Fuck! Where is she? EVE? EVE?"

He waited for a reply. He could hear screams coming from the very room he was in, but that was impossible. The possibility of his mind playing tricks on him became more apparent and with it doubt began to wear him down.

He shook his head and frowned. "No! She's here! I know it! There has to be another room behind here...Or maybe it's underground?" Sven got down on his stomach and pressed his ear over the floor. He could hear Eve's screams more clearly.

"Eve! It's me Sven! I'm coming to get you, just wait where you are, ok? I'll be right back! Just hold on!"

He heard a weak sounding agreement and with that he shot off, thundering down the hall to the foyer. He traced his finger along the paths he had come across and searched for a basement level or underground passage. There was none on the map and he roared in anger.

"Grrr! Where is it? How do I get there?"

The sounds of multiple police sirens caught his attention. He turned to the windows and stared out at the four squad cars that pulled up outside. A dozen officers rushed out and began arming themselves.

Sven felt a flicker of hope. With these reinforcements he might finally be able to find Eve. They could search the entire building and in no time the trapdoor could be found. Eve would be returned to his care and they could return to the manhunt.

He made his way to the door when he suddenly heard someone gunfire and screaming. He slid up against the window and peered out at the police officers, half of whom were already down. One of them was still sitting in the front seat of his car, the windscreen smashed open and a large knife embedded deep within his forehead.

Another was lying on the boot of his car, a short sword pinning him in place. Two officers lay in a bloody heap beside his car; both of them hacked to pieces.

The remaining eight officers took up defensive positions, despite being unaware of the enemy's position.

One of them failed to notice the figure sneaking up beside him. A pale hand covered his mouth as the other hand drove a knife deep into his spine. His eyes went wide and his body spasmed as he collapsed silently.

The officers around him opened fire but the mysterious assailant somersaulted over the roof of the car and vanished again.

_What the hell is this? Why are they dying?_

A young cop fumbled around in his pocket, searching for more ammo but in his distracted state he failed to see the knife which soared towards him. Someone tried to warn him and he looked up momentarily, only for the blade to go through his eye and into his brain. He flopped backwards and hit the ground with a loud thud.

Bullets were fired left right and centre, regardless of the position of the enemy. They couldn't see him and so merely fired a wild barrage of bullets in the hope it would hold him off. They continued to fire while making their way to the door.

Sven opened it for them. "Come on! Get in, hurry!"

Some officers broke into a run, but the ceasefire gave the assassin a chance and he pounced from the roof of one of the cars. He moved with incredible speed, faster than a pro athlete. Before they could even raise their guns, the madman produced a katana and cleaved an unfortunate cop in two. The man beside him was beheaded and the two younger one behind him were cut down ruthlessly.

Sven stared at the massacre occurring before his very eyes. A full dozen armed officers had turned up. Within the span of a single minute ten of them were already dead, all felled by a single foe. It was impossible. It couldn't be happening. It had to be a dream!

The final two officers reached the front steps. One of them leapt inside and slammed the door shut behind him. The other rapped on the door, crying out for them to let him in. Sven reached for the handle but the other cop dragged him away. They were only a few metres away when the poor man outside was thrown through one of the windows. The glass cut him up pretty bad and he was unable to stand. He coughed violently and reached out with a lacerated hand to his comrades who stared at him in utter disbelief.

The killer entered through the broken window and thrust his sword deep into the man's head, killing him instantly. He then drew it out and cleaned the blade on his coat.

Sven froze up. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. The man standing before him was a complete stranger. This man was not Train Heartnett. It was someone else! This man had silver-white hair. His features weren't feline. He looked menacing, but for different reasons. He truly fit the part of a psychopath, but he was nothing like Train Heartnett. Whether he was worse or not however...That was still to be decided.

"Who are you?" Sven demanded lifting his gun in a feeble threat.

The man laughed mockingly and waved the sword around in a graceful display of skill. "You don't really care for my name do you, Sven?"

"H-Hey! How does he know your name?" The officer asked.

Sven didn't dare look away. "How should I know? Maybe he's psychic?"

The killer laughed again, a sickening sound. "Quite a joker aren't you Sven. But do you know what's even funnier? Your whole investigation has been a dead end from the start! You were completely oblivious to such obvious clues. You fell for each trap without a second thought. You truly failed! Even when you managed to find that girls mother you were too weak to save her! Now history will repeat itself with her daughter!"

"You bastard! Where is she?"

"The little Princess is resting right now. For now, I want to finish things with you. You have been a thorn in my side since I first saw you. Your incompetence has been amusing for a while but now I am sick of you. Your stupidity is so pitiful that I must put an end to your worthless life before Train arrives."

"Train? So he was involved?"

"My, my, you still believe that don't you, poor thing. The Black Cat does not advertise himself. He does not leave tracks. Not once did you realise that and this is why you fell right into my trap! You did exactly as I expected and now you will die out here along with that girl!"

"Who are you? Answer me!" Sven roared.

"My, you are quite the persistent one aren't you? Very well, I guess it is common courtesy to know the name of the one shall end your life. As you wish...My name, is Creed."

"Creed?" Sven tried to think if he'd ever heard the name. His mental search came up blank. There was never any mention of him, not even in the records which held all the patients names since the Chronos facility was first established. Was he ever even a patient, or was he merely using this place as a hideout for the dramatic effect?

Now was not the time though. Creed had to be stopped and Eve had to be saved.

Sven lined up a shot but Creed lunged forward. Sven rolled aside but the other officer was too slow. He was cut down mercilessly, leaving only Sven and Creed. Face to face, the killer and the cop.

Sven opened fire. He glanced off one shot that hit Creed's arms, though he was aiming for the heart. He was shaking so much he couldn't keep a straight shot and so each one went wide. Creed charged head on and tackled him to the ground. Sven tried to use his pistol as a club but his hand was wrenched about in a painful hold and he was forced to let go. The gun was then hurled across the foyer.

Creed drew back a fist and threw a heavy punch. Sven felt his mouth fill with blood. He spat it out only to be hit again and again. Creed was pummelling him, the swift, painless slaying of his comrades were abandoned for a slower, agonising method. Creed hated him the most. He had been the one trying to bring him down. He was the one who stopped him from torturing Eve's mother. He had now even interrupted his plans for Eve.

Creed was about to punch again when Sven drove his elbow into his gut. Creed halted for long enough for Sven to sit up and punch him right in the face. He leaned back but did not fall off. Sven shoved with all his might and crawled away from his foe. He searched for a weapon but found none. In his moment of distraction Creed pounced on him, strangling him. He rocked forward and tried to throw his off but Creed merely used the momentum and his incredible strength to bring Sven over the top of him, making him somersault onto his back.

Sven groaned as waves of pain rushed up through his spine. Creed was so skinny, yet he seemed to posses the strength of a pro wrestler. He must have been an assassin as well. That had to be the reason why he was obsessed with Train. That was why he seemed to be affiliated with him. They might have been comrades, though at least Train was not around. One psychopathic assassin was more than enough of a problem.

Still, he had to somehow beat him. This fight was going nowhere. He had to end it fast before he ended up the loser. He couldn't lose now, not after coming all this way. Not when Eve was just beyond his grasp. Not now that all the men who entrusted their lives to protect the people had been slain due to his mistake. He had brought them into this trap. He was the reason they were all dead. Now it was up to him to make it all right and avenge them all!

Sven sat up only to be choked again. He lashed out with a fist but Creed jumped back and caught his hand. He then dragged him over to the wall which suddenly opened up like an elevator shaft. He was thrown in and kneed in the stomach with enough force to keep him on the ground while the little elevator went down underground.

"I won't kill you yet. I have someone I want you to meet first!" Creed rasped over the hum of the machinery.

Sven closed his eyes and cursed inwardly. He couldn't move. Just breathing was causing him enough pain and discomfort. It was as if his lungs were surrounded by a thornbush and each time they expanded they were pricked by the sharpened thorns.

Sven did not resist. He couldn't. Instead, he just allowed Creed to drag him down into the bowels of hell itself...Where his fate would finally be decided...


	10. Chapter 10

_Ten_

Sven was startled awake. He tried to remember what had happened since the elevator but his mind was a blank. He must have blacked out. But now where was he? It was dark, not pitch black, but it was still hard to see. There was a horrid stench, of something he knew all too well. In his many years as a homicide investigator he had grown to recognise the smell of blood.

It was a horrible odour, not that is smelled truly disgusting, but the fact that there was a lot of blood around to create a noticeable smell...That was the worst part.

Sven twisted his head to the left, ignoring the searing pain in his neck. He couldn't see anything so he turned to the right. This time he could make out someone standing nearby, perfectly still, almost like a statue, but the sinister hissing breaths that came from the person were more than enough indication that they were very much alive.

"Creed! You cowardly dog! Hiding in the darkness against an injured foe! Have you no shame?"

The hissing stopped. The shadow moved forward in a sudden surge of movement and before he could process it a heavy fist collided with his chin. He spat out a mouthful of bloody spittle and tried to spot Creed again.

"You have the nerve to insult me; that must mean I haven't broken your spirit then, officer. I do apologise."

"Apologise?" Sven cocked his head to one side.

A rough slap made his head spin. He dazedly looked around but he was hit again and again. The fourth hit was with a flat, blunt object...Though Sven guessed that there was at least one sharp edge on the weapon. It might have been a mistake to anger him...If he had kept his mouth shut he might have spared himself enough time to find a weapon and sneak up on him- No, there was never a chance.

Creed was an assassin. He was specially trained to be unstoppable, a shame they chose such a mentally unstable recruit for their army. They had merely given this monster the tools he needed to become the ultimate killing machine.

"I shall destroy you. I will break you until you are begging me to take your worthless life. Your investigation is over. You will never stop me!" Creed's voice was sounding more and more agitated. He was getting aggressive and there was no doubt what that meant...

Sven felt the knife drag across his shoulder. He winced but did not give his tormentor the pleasure of hearing him cry out. He gritted his teeth as the blade sank in through his coat, through his skin, deeper through his flesh.

"Not a sound eh? Maybe I'm being too gentle?" Creed cackled as he twisted the blade in the wound.

Sven lost all composure and let out a wracked shriek of complete, utter agony. His whole body instinctively threw itself forward and he writhed about on the ground as blood pumped out of the wound. He tried to cover it with his hand but Creed thrust the knife into his forearm on the same side. The blade mainly got his coat but it cut a nasty trench in his arm. He scrambled backwards but Creed booted his chin, forcing him to stare up at the blackened ceiling.

He was seeing stars. Bright splotches of colour floated across his field of vision and he felt incredibly dazed. His head swayed from side to side and slowly rocked forward.

Creed drew his arm back and then stabbed him in the gut. Sven's arms flopped by his side, defeated. He lost all sense of hope and was barely able to breathe. Blood flecked his lips and he coughed roughly, his throat so dry it felt like it was lined with sandpaper. His battle was over. It was impossible. He thought he had followed the leads perfectly, that he had cornered his foe. He sent several units out to see him claim victory over his opponent. He was going to be famous for catching the vicious criminal. He was ahead for once...

So why? Why did it all go wrong? Why were all of his fellow officers dead? Why was Eve trapped down here? Why was he confronted by a stranger? Why was he lying here in a puddle of his own blood with his favourite suit a mess, his body mangled, beaten and broken, covered in cuts and bruises?

Where had he gone wrong? Everything was going according to plan...Now he was going to die. Eve was going to die too. The town would still be in danger, more would be slain, more would suffer...

Defeat seemed like something out of movies and video games...Something trivial. If you failed a level, you could always start again, the restart button always beside you. In the movies the hero would get knocked down, but he would always get back up. He would always win in the end of the day...

Defeat in reality was different. It made you feel useless, like your whole purpose in life was nothing more than a misguided dream. It made you feel unimaginable pain; it made those around you suffer. It dragged them down into your pit of despair. People died, not actors who could clean themselves off and do a second take. Not cartoon graphics that would just disappear and reappear. These were human lives. When they were torn apart there was no way to fix them.

Sven felt worse with the overwhelming guilt. He had brought good men to their deaths. He had failed to protect Eve, even when he promised her he would. He was powerless in the end. He had just brought more lambs to the slaughter. He had endangered everyone, he had let them down. He had failed miserably. Now he was to pay for it, as Creed said...With his worthless life.

"Sven?" A tiny voice asked fearfully.

Sven leaned to one side and stared past Creed to the small figure standing in the doorway. Even in the darkness, her beautiful golden hair shone with its own light, like a stray star trapped in this dark abyss.

"Eve?" He rasped. His eyes were half closed and they were still drifting lower and lower. He could feel his life slipping away. He could hear Eve's heart wrenching sobs.

"Sven...Don't die. Please...You're all I have left...Please...Stay with me, always...Don't...Don't die." She was trembling. Her eyes were wide. Tears ran down her cheeks in thin streams at first but soon they were pouring like miniature water-fountains.

_Eve...I'm so sorry. Please forgive me._

Eve fell forward onto her hand and knees, her sobbing intensifying until she could barely breathe.

Creed whirled away from Sven and approached the young girl, an underlying chuckle whispered under his breath. He grabbed her hair and threw her into the floor. "I told you to stay in your room! Now I shall punish you! I'll make sure you don't move without permission again!" He yanked the knife out of Sven's gut and spun it around in his pale, bony hands.

Sven leaned heavily against the wall, sliding down as he lost all support. His eyelids fluttered as he went in and out of consciousness. He knew it was only a matter of time now...

Creed kicked Eve in the ribs and rolled her onto her back. He kneeled down slashed across the front of her dress. Blood spilled out over the large tear and ran down over her body, soaking her. The blade had gone deep into her stomach.

She tried to keep quiet but the downhill battle with her sanity was lost. She screamed with all she had left.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! SVEN! SAVE ME!" It wore her out and she nearly passed out throughout the desperate plea for help. Her protector did not move. His chest was no longer rising and falling. The one thing she never imagined happening had finally occurred. Sven was gone.

Creed glanced over at the unmoving body and then turned back to Eve, his sickening smile back again. "It seems your saviour is no more Eve. But do not worry, you shall see him again very soon...In Hell!" The last word came out as a horrifying inhuman growl. He raised the knife up high and snarled with malicious glee. Just as he tried to bring it down he was stopped.

Someone was holding his arm, preventing him from swinging the knife down into his prey. He glared at the one who dared intrude on his torturous games and his eyes widened when he recognised the tattered white suit.

Sven appeared to be barely conscious, his eyes lazily moving from Creed to Eve and then back again. He tried to smile but it was too much for him. He merely gave a slight nod in Eve's direction.

"You! How can you even stand? You should be dead by now!" Creed roared insanely.

"Shut up." Sven snapped.

"What?"

"I said...Shut up." Sven grunted.

Creed's grin contorted into a hideous scowl. He howled like a demon as he threw Sven off of his arm and shoved him into the wall. Sven remained standing, despite the erratic trembling in his knees. He couldn't stand straight and he relied on the wall to keep him upright.

"I won't...Let Eve die." He told himself, though it was loud enough for the others to hear. "I'll protect her...Always."

Creed glared down at the girl and stomped on her lacerated stomach. She screamed and Sven rushed forward, hurling his body at the foe, tackling Creed to the hard ground. The two grappled but Creed easily overpowered him. Creed pinned him down and slammed Sven's head into the floor.

"You stupid idiot! Why won't you die?" Creed was really losing it now. His fragile sanity had shattered under the pressure and now he was descending deeper into madness.

Sven coughed violently and stared deep into Creed's venomous glare. "I promised Eve."

"Promised? That is no explanation! Why are you persisting so? How can you still resist when you should have died like all the others! You are just vermin! How can you still be alive?"

Sven tried to chuckle, but instead made a strange sputtering noise like a broken engine and spat blood all over his chin. "I must...Save...Eve..."

"SHUT UP!" Creed smashed Sven's head through the floor again, this time he could feel it split beneath him and his head broke away a section of the stony ground. He was about to black out when he was snapped awake by a deafening gun-shot. Creed flew off him as like a fisherman swept off the rocks by rough seas.

Sven turned his head to see the mysterious assailant stroll calmly into the room. A fluttering black coat wrapped around his thin, athletic frame and two yellow cat's eyes glared out through locks of wild brown hair. The eyes...There was no mistaking them. Just like he appeared in the files. It was him, Train Heartnett...The Black Cat himself!

Creed cackled as he dragged himself to onto one knee. "Train? Is it really you? You came for me?"

Train did not reply. He craned his neck towards Eve and studied her in silence. He then looked over at Sven and stared deep into his eyes, boring through into his soul. When he was done with the silent observation he walked between the two injured ones and approached Creed.

"Train!" The madman was overjoyed. His eyes were wide and he was crying tear of unbounded happiness. "You have arrived! You followed the trail perfectly! You're here now...That means we can finally...We can finally create a new world!"

Train made a strange noise, somewhere between a growl and a brief laugh. "Creed. You actually thought I'd help you?"

Creed cocked his head to one side. "Huh?"

'BOOM!'

Blood spurted out of Creed left shoulder. The whole arm went slack and he stared down at it in disbelief. "Wha-what?"

Train raised his gun, a large, ornamental pistol with a Roman numeral XII on it. Smoke rose from the oversized barrel. "I would never help you Creed. You always were...And always will, be nothing but a crazed lunatic."

"No!" Creed was begging now. "I am not crazy! You and I were supposed to bring this world to its knees! We were going to slay the weak and-" Another bullet went into Creed's kneecap. He toppled over onto his side and cried out in alarm.

Train spat at his feet. "I'm not like you. I don't ear your petty grudge against the world. I don't despise innocent people and condemn them just for living their simple lives. I would hate to live in 'your' world Creed." The words were like poison to the broken psychopath. The man he idolized was turning him down.

Creed wiped tears from his eyes and crawled towards Train, a hand extended in a desperate plea for aid.

Train shot him in his other shoulder, leaving him trapped on the floor. He then walked up and stepped on his chest, effectively pinning him down. Creed was done for. His reign of terror was now over...Though his assailant may not be much better.

Creed's eyes were wide open, tears streaming out freely, and an unbearable look of betrayal on his pallid face. "Train! Why are you doing this? You and I were destined- Ack!" Train pressed his boot down on Creed throat, shutting him up.

Train's cold feline eyes bore straight into his maniacal foe. For a moment it seemed like Creed was lost in a trance as he stared dumbstruck up at his hero.

"You can take your 'new world' and your destiny. You can take your grand idea and shove it up your ass because I will never associate with low-life scum like you! Understand?"

"Train..." Creed sobbed. "What curse has befallen you? Why have I been forsaken?"

Train pointed his gun squarely at Creed's forehead. "It's over Creed. When you are rotting in Hell make sure you apologise to those innocent women."

Creed was about to speak when a bullet exploded right next to his cheek. He stared up at his executioner and choked on his dying words.

Train didn't even blink as he pulled the trigger. The finishing blow was dealt with one climactic explosion as fire erupted from the barrel and a heavy bullet burst forth, penetrating Creed's skull and piercing his brain.

The once hideous, grinning face was now a splattered mess. Creed was dead. Never to terrorize the town again, though the damage he had caused was irreparable.

Train glanced over his shoulder at the others and sighed. "I have already called for an ambulance. I suggest you try and get to the foyer while you still have the strength."

He made to leave but Sven stopped him. "Wait! Train...What side are you on?"

Train closed his eyes and bowed his head. "You suspected me didn't you? You fell for Creed's feeble little plan. He hoped by making me the suspect, his crimes would instil enough fear for him to take over and create his 'new world'. Only a psycho like him could possibly do such a thing, but I had to stop him. It was a wound to my pride to have him do such things in my name."

"So...You're a...Friend after all?"

Train chuckled. "No. I live without friends, or allies. Just know that I am not your enemy and you are not an enemy of mine. My life is to deal death to those I am ordered. I am no hero. I am no saint, but I am not the monster you think I am. I am merely a stray cat...trying to survive in a cruel world..." With that he vanished, running off into the darkness.


	11. Chapter 11

_Epilogue_

Eve crawled over to Sven and collapsed on his chest. She hugged him as tight as she could with her minimal strength. Sven could barely move, but he managed to place a hand on her back. They were both weeping. They had gone through a truly terrifying ordeal. They had experienced nightmares beyond imagination.

They had survived...Barely. If Train had never intervened then this simple moment of comfort wouldn't exist and the two of them would be just another couple of victims, their rotting corpses trapped down in this dungeon for eternity, never to be seen again.

"It's over..." Eve whispered, a slight hint of joy in her voice. No amount of pain could overshadow her happiness. Not when she had escaped death in such a way.

Sven nodded, his throat filling with blood and preventing him from speaking. He turned to one side and let it flow out lest he choke on it and die. His upper body spasmed as he coughed up another mouthful of the stuff.

"Sven...You can't die...Not now." Eve sobbed. Sven wiped her tears away and then stroked his hand through her golden blonde hair. It was covered in dirt and parts of it were caked with dried blood, but it still shone and still retained its softness.

He smiled weakly but had to stop when it hurt too much. "I'm not going anywhere." He brought up another mouthful of blood and let out a pained groan as he slumped back. Eve held him tight, crying desperately for him to stay alive.

A distant siren caught their attention and they both turned to face the direction it came from. They both knew what it meant. Help was just outside the old, cracked walls of this forsaken place. This refuge of the damned.

"Eve...I want you...To do something."

Eve nodded and waited for her instructions.

"Scream. Scream as loud as you can...Get their attention..." Sven instructed, pausing every now and then to take a laboured breath.

Eve sat back and took a deep breath before letting out a great cry for help. She pushed herself to her limits to unleash the devastating shriek which made her whole body shake. She screamed for a full twenty seconds, no words just the loudest sound she could produce.

Muffled voices from up above were the response and Eve settled back, resting against Sven's chest as it rose and fell softly. She didn't care for the blood that stained her clothes and skin, she was just happy to not be alone anymore.

Loud bangs and the humming of machinery provided an abstract lullaby to the two survivors. They stared blankly at the ceiling while they waited. They couldn't tell how long it had been. There was no way of telling. It could have been two minutes, it could have been hours, but they did not care. They just focused on happy thoughts to get them through the agony.

Eventually the elevator door crumbled. A swarm of paramedics and rescue officers surged into the dungeon and rushed over to them both. They checked up on Creed, though they were far too late to save the wretched killer. He was beyond saving, his face no longer recognisable, his head a broken mass of flesh and bone.

Sven was lifted onto a stretcher and covered in a white blanket which quickly turned a shade of dark pink. He groaned as the stretcher bumped over something on the floor. The paramedics rushed him to the elevator and he was crammed in with several other medics who kept constant vigil on him.

Eve was sent up next, since her injuries were less threatening to her life. The two of them were placed in the same ambulance and four medics piled in, two for each patient.

Sven was losing consciousness. His arms flopped down over the side of the stretcher. As his world turned to black he felt a small hand clasp around his. He couldn't turn his head so he only rolled his eyes to gaze over at Eve, who smiled weakly at him. It was a lasting image as he slipped out of consciousness and caught up on some much needed sleep.

* * *

Sven awoke to the sounds of mourning. Gentle sobs came from close by and they were instantly recognisable. As his eyelids parted enough for him to see, his first sight was the golden haired girl sitting up in her hospital bed. She was leaning forward, crying into a pillow which she clutched to her chest, relying upon the lifeless item for companionship while her real friend was out cold.

She must have been terribly lonely. She had no relatives aside from her father, who was an international arms dealer and more monster than man. He probably didn't even know she was in hospital.

Sven coughed and Eve suddenly jumped up as if she'd been electrocuted. She turned to face him, revealing sore red eyes which still glistened with tears. She tried to hop out and see him but she was connected to a series of small tubes and unable to get out. She fell back against the mattress and frowned.

"You're alive..."

Sven stared at her, unable to speak or move much.

Eve gazed down at her bandaged arm while she spoke. "You were in a coma...For a while you stopped breathing, they said you might not make it..." She trailed off and sniffed. "But I'm glad!" She smiled, though the gauze on her cheek made it difficult.

"You're alive!" The door opened and Jenos walked in, holding a bouquet of flowers and some other items, all wrapped in decorative paper. He approached Sven and gave him a glass of water. It soothed his throat and allowed him to speak.

Sven grinned. "What lovely flowers...Are they for me?"

Jenos chuckled. "Of course not you idiot! These are for the Princess!" He placed them on the table beside Eve and ruffled a hand through her hair. "I got you something else." He laid a present on Sven's stomach.

He lazily reached out and took it. He was still quite weak and it took some time to unwrap it. Jenos eventually helped him out and handed him a large white envelope.

Sven scowled at it. "Is this...Work?"

Jenos slapped himself in the forehead. "Geez Sven, how much of your brain is left? It's not work!"

Sven opened the enveloped and took out a pile of papers. "It sure looks like it."

"Read it, you moron!" Jenos yelled.

Sven scanned the bold headings and his eyes narrowed. "What the...Are these adoption papers?"

Jenos nodded. "They are for you...And Eve." Sven stared at the sheet in silent awe. "I saw the way Eve cried when they called me in. When they said you stopped breathing. She was the hardest hit, yet I've known you longer than anyone. If you had never woken up...I would have lost my best friend, but for Eve it would be like losing her father..."

Sven nodded.

"Now you can become her legal guardian. It's been sorted out, you just have to sign on the dotted line and you two will be a family." Jenos handed him a pen.

For a moment Sven just stared dumbstruck at the papers, thinking of the times he and Eve had shared, how it had almost felt like they were a family...How he had grown to accept her as the daughter he never had. They had grown dependent upon each other, just two loners brought together by a cruel twist of fate. They were both missing something. For Eve, it was a caring father. For Sven, it had been a companion. Someone to talk to, someone to share with, someone to worry about him.

Since his divorce with Rinslett he had been lonely. His only interaction was at work. Jenos was always busy and so was he, so there was little time to catch up over a cold beer, or just lounge about and talk about nothing.

Work had consumed his entire life. Even his sleep had been deprived due to his constant duty to protect the townspeople from the thugs and killers that stalked the streets. He had sacrificed everything he enjoyed for other people's wellbeing, so much so that he could never turn back.

Now he had a chance.

Sven snatched the pen and scrawled his signature over the line at the bottom. He then signed on the other two sheets and handed them back.

Jenos smiled at the two patients. "Congratulations. Sven, meet Eve, your daughter."

"Thank you." Sven whispered.

Jenos extended a hand to shake. "No problem."

Sven reeled his old friend in for a hug. Jenos laughed anxiously and patted him on the back while trying to escape. Sven was crying now, repeating his thanks over and over so much he sounded like a broken record.

When he was finally released he made to leave but glanced over his shoulder at his friends. "I'm sure you two want a moment alone." He stepped outside and closed the door gently.

Eve and Sven just stared at each other, unsure what to say. The moment was so surreal they could barely believe what had happened. The moment of complete silence was awkward, but it was welcome. There was no feeling better than the joy they felt.

Eve gazed at her new father and opened her mouth to speak. She paused just before the words rolled off her tongue and she glanced down at the floor instead.

"We'll get used to it." Sven said.

Eve giggled. "I hope so...Dad." She had almost flinched as she said the word, but afterwards she realized there was nothing wrong with it. It felt right. She had never been able to open up to her real father, but now that Sven was here, she felt as if she could finally feel accepted, to be a part of a real family, regardless of the circumstances.

"We'll work it out somehow...Together..."

* * *

After a month of recovery, things were finally peaceful. Sven had reported of the real murderer and confirmed it was the unidentified man at the crime scene. The manhunt for Train Heartnett was officially called off at Sven's request. The investigation into Creed Diskenth began but there was little information other than him being a patient in the facility.

Sven and Jenos were given a pay raise and given long service leave in thanks for their hard work.

Sven and Eve started life anew as father and daughter. It had been odd at first but within a few weeks they had grown used to being a family. Eve taught Sven how to cook and now they don't have to resort to take-out every single night. They are now closer than ever and the emptiness inside them both had been fulfilled.

Sven took the time off to see a doctor about his sleep problems. He was given medication and for the first time in years he got a full nights sleep.

_**END...**_

Thanks to everyone for reading. Thanks for the reviews, they have been a constant help and any lasting impressions are welcome. I hope you enjoyed the story, because your entertainment fuels me to write. I may add a special bonus chapter soon so keep a look out for it. 

For now, farewell and please don't forget to review!


	12. Bonus

_Bonus_

The morning cry of traffic and early commuters seeped through into the silent house. Golden rays of sunlight filtered through the drawn curtains and showered gentle warmth upon the sleeping figure. The slender young girl rose up into a seated position and wiped away at her eyes. A quiet little yawn escaped her and she slipped out from under the covers and moved to get dressed. Her exquisite golden hair shone in the weakening morning sun.

The girl glanced out the window at the bustling life in the world outside the peeling walls of her home. A smile crossed her face and she joyfully strode out into the hall. One of the doors was slightly ajar and she crept up towards it, peeking her head through the gap.

Sven lay sprawled on his bed, a blanket barely covering him. He was sound asleep. He used to take drugs to fall under the spell of slumber but now he was able to fall asleep normally. It was a weekend and the girl decided it was best to leave him be. He had done so much for her ever since their paths had crossed. He deserved a god rest.

Silently, she slid back out into the hall and headed downstairs. The living room was dark at first but as soon as the curtains were drawn back a flood of angelic light splayed across the large open room, bathing the young child in the soothing heat of a warm spring day.

She stood there in the centre of the room and let the warmth sink into her flesh, warming her soul. She closed her eyes and sighed, a contented sigh. Her life had been lacking many things before. She had lacked a caring father, an attentive mother, a life with purpose, a life with something more...She had found that in this place. Everything she had been searching for was right here, in this house...With Sven...

It had been a year since then, since they had first met. It was the anniversary of not only her meeting with Sven, but the tragic departure of her mother. She had vanished from her life in a violent storm of confusion. The world had made little sense back then. It still made little sense to her even now, but she felt reassured to have someone by her side. Sven had always cared, always cherished her. He had protected her from the evils of this violent world and she had saved his heart from fading away into the cold emotionless void that consumed those who had seen the worst. Sven was a broken man and she had been a lost child. Together they found something in the other, something to take their pain away, to give their lives meaning once again. They had saved each other from the darkness...

Eve could never thank him enough for what he had done and Sven felt the same with her. He still spoiled her with gifts and other niceties that she felt were undeserved, but she graciously accepted them, feeling something she never had with her first family...Love. Her father had been a brutish pig and her mother, despite her efforts to be a good mother, had been so preoccupied with work that she treated her child with the same objective and vacant care of her test subjects. Sven loved her. He had risked his life for her and he would do it again and again, forever.

She knew deep down in her heart that they would be together, always...Just as they had promised. And even her mother, would always be with her.

Eve opened the back door and stepped out into the golden sunlight. She closed her eyes and shielded her face from the blazing heat. She strolled slowly towards a small stone pushed up against a large tree in the backyard. The stone had been engraved with a message. Eve stopped a few paces away from it and kneeled down. She gazed sombrely at the stone, the stone that read: "Tearju Lunatique."

Eve wiped the stray tears from the corners of her eyes and sniffed softly. She closed her eyes and pictured her mother, her smiling face, her rare moments of motherly love. It brought a shaky, little smile to her features and made her heart at peace.

A light padding behind her caught her attention and the young girl craned her neck to see the little black ball of fur as it trotted across the fresh lawn towards her. It was a black cat...A stray...

It sat on its haunches and seemed to stare at the gravestone almost sympathetically. It stared long and hard for some time before it approached the girl and licked the back of her hand. Eve let out a shy giggle and reached out to stroke its back. The cat lurched back and scratched her finger. As Eve let out a light yelp the little black cat leapt up onto the fence. It was about to jump down into the next yard when it turned back to stare at Eve one last time.

And as their gazes met, Eve stared deep into those eyes, those beady, yellow little orbs...And words as clear as the surface of a lake drifted into the back of her mind, echoing softly, "I am no hero, I am no saint...But I am not the monster you think I am...I am merely a stray cat...Trying to survive in a cruel world..."

Eve sobbed...She was not sure why...She was not sure whether it was out of joy or sadness...But she felt numb all the same. And when she wiped away the tears and glanced back up at the fence, she realised with a sinking feeling...

The Black Cat was gone...


End file.
